Electrostatic Spray Nozzle Plume Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrostatic spray nozzles produce a full cone spray plume that is difficult to shape into a flat or fan pattern due to the small orifice size, limiting the ability to control the spray distribution effectively.
Innovation Solution
An electrostatic spray nozzle system that applies a secondary electrical field to the charged droplets using adjustable electrodes, allowing for repulsive or attractive forces to shape the conical spray plume into a flat fan shape by controlling the intensity and polarity of the electric field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a small orifice size is used in electrostatic spray nozzles to achieve fine atomization, then droplet uniformity and coverage are improved, but the ability to shape the spray plume into flat or fan patterns is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a secondary electrical field as an intermediary mechanism between the charged droplets and the desired spray pattern. This secondary field, generated by additional electrodes, mediates the transformation of the conical plume into flat or fan patterns without requiring changes to the primary atomization orifice geometry, thus preserving droplet uniformity while enabling pattern control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical field parameters (intensity, polarity, configuration) as a control mechanism to achieve different spray patterns. By adjusting the secondary electrical field parameters, the system can transform the spray plume from a fixed conical shape into variable flat or fan patterns, providing adaptability without modifying the physical orifice structure.
2Area of stationary object
If a full cone spray plume is produced by electrostatic atomization, then omnidirectional coverage is achieved, but the spray distribution cannot be effectively controlled or shaped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the spray distribution control dynamic by introducing adjustable secondary electrical fields. The system can dynamically switch between maintaining a full cone pattern for omnidirectional coverage and shaping into flat or fan patterns for directed application, allowing real-time control of spray distribution based on operational requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the transformation of a conical spray plume into a flat or wide fan shape, providing adjustable and controlled spray distribution patterns by manipulating the electrostatic forces on the droplets as they exit the nozzle.
Implementation Method 1
one electrode has a very high voltage of negative polarity, and the other electrode is the nozzle body, which is electrically grounded. A dielectric fluid such as oil may pass between the two electrodes and through the very strong electric field they create, causing current to be injected into the fluid and, thus, electrically charging the liquid.
Implementation Method 2
Outside the nozzle, the excess charge in the liquid electrically repulse each other within the oil inducing a spin in the oil jet that results in bending instability and eventually necking, which causes the fluid to break up into droplets and, thus, atomize. The omnidirectional repulsive forces of electrons within the charged fluid cause the spray plume to assume a full cone shape.
Implementation Method 3
The full cone plume, which is made from charged fluid droplets, is subjected to a secondary electrical field, which can impose attractive or repulsive electrical forces onto the charged fluid droplets, thus affecting their trajectory and direction of travel as the plume develops.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A spray nozzle assembly and a method for shaping a spray stream provided through a spray assembly includes electrostatically charging spray nozzle assembly and a method for shaping a spray stream provided through a spray assembly includes electrostatically charging a spray stream by exposing fluid to be sprayed to an electrical field within a fluid sprayer(lOO) to create an electrostatically charged spray stream, and then creating an electrical field between secondary electrodes (206) externally to the fluid sprayer (100) such that the electrostatically spray stream is shaped and/or redirected as it passes through the electrical field.