Spray characteristics of an air-assisted electrostatic atomiser

The spray characteristics of an air-assisted electrostatic atomiser are experimentally investigated using a shadowgraphy particle/droplet image analysis (PDIA) technique. Tests are conducted for varied rates of liquid and airflow, with and without a voltage applied to the nozzle electrode. The found droplet sizes neatly match the Rosin-Rammler distribution, and an expression for the mean diameter as a function of the flow rates is given. Notably, the electrode voltage (up to 40 kV) has no measurable impact on the droplet size and velocity, and the energy efficiency of the sprayer is found to decrease with increases in both liquid-and airflow.

Automated summary

The spray characteristics of an air-assisted electrostatic atomizer were experimentally investigated using a shadowgraphy particle/droplet image analysis technique. The results showed that the droplet sizes followed the Rosin-Rammler distribution and the electrode voltage had no measurable impact on the droplet size and velocity. The energy efficiency of the sprayer was found to decrease with increases in both liquid and airflow.