Porous Conductive Extractor Plate for Electrospray Fluid Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrospray devices experience performance degradation due to excess fluid accumulation on solid grids, leading to limited operation duration and costly frequent cleaning or replacement, especially when using low vapor pressure liquids.
Innovation Solution
The use of porous, conductive medium for the extractor and accelerator plates to transport excess electrospray fluid away from the aperture, preventing buildup and enabling extended operation without manual cleaning or replacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If solid grids are used for extractor and accelerator plates, then device structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but fluid accumulation occurs on the grid surfaces leading to performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The extractor and accelerator plates are made from porous materials (such as sintered metal or porous ceramic) instead of solid grids. The porous structure allows excess electrospray fluid to be absorbed and transported through the material matrix, preventing fluid accumulation on the grid surfaces while maintaining structural integrity and electrical conductivity. This resolves the contradiction by providing a manufacturable solution that actively manages fluid transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The plates utilize composite structures combining porous substrates with conductive coatings or materials (such as porous metal with conductive properties or composite porous-ceramic structures). This composite approach maintains the electrical conductivity necessary for electrospray operation while the porous architecture enables fluid transport, simultaneously addressing both manufacturing feasibility and operational reliability.
2Productivity
If extended operation is pursued beyond 100 hours, then productivity increases, but fluid accumulation prevents proper function requiring cleaning or replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The porous plates perform self-cleaning through their inherent fluid transport capability. Excess electrospray fluid is automatically absorbed and transported through the porous matrix during normal operation, eliminating the need for manual cleaning interventions. This self-service mechanism enables continuous extended operation without performance degradation, simultaneously achieving high productivity and sustained reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous structure enables continuous fluid transport during extended operation, preventing the intermittent shutdowns required for cleaning solid grids. The continuous action of fluid absorption and transport through the porous material maintains consistent electrospray performance over extended periods, enabling uninterrupted productivity while sustaining reliability.
3Reliability
If manual cleaning or replacement is performed frequently, then device reliability is restored, but time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The porous plates autonomously manage fluid removal through their transport capability, eliminating the need for manual cleaning or replacement interventions. This self-service function maintains reliability continuously without requiring time-consuming manual maintenance, simultaneously achieving sustained reliability and minimizing time loss.
4Volume of moving object
If denser arrays of electrospray emitters are used, then device size is reduced and compactness improves, but fluid accumulation and shorting risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The porous extractor and accelerator plates provide distributed fluid absorption and transport pathways throughout the device structure. This porous architecture effectively manages fluid from denser emitter arrays by distributing the fluid load across the porous matrix, preventing localized accumulation and shorting risks while maintaining compact device volume.
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
This solution effectively prevents fluid accumulation, reducing maintenance costs and enabling longer, uninterrupted electrospray operation by absorbing and storing excess fluid, thus maintaining device performance and allowing for more compact and denser device designs.
Implementation Method 1
the extractor plate including a porous, conductive medium for transporting excess, accumulated electrospray fluid away from the aperture
Implementation Method 2
a power supply for applying a first voltage between the extractor plate and emitter for generating at least one Taylor cone emission through the aperture to create an electrospray plume from the electrospray fluid
Data Source
AI summary
An electrospray device includes an electrospray emitter adapted to receive electrospray fluid; an extractor plate spaced from the electrospray emitter and having at least one aperature; and a power supply for applying a first voltage between the extractor plate and emitter for generating at least one Taylor cone emission through the aperature to create an electrospray plume from the electrospray fluid, the extractor plate as well as accelerator and shaping plates may include a porous, conductive medium for transporting and storing excess, accumulated electrospray fluid away from the aperature.