Electro-spraying of a highly conductive and viscous liquid

The present work focuses on the electrohydrodynamic spraying of a viscous and highly conductive polyvinyl alcohol aqueous solution. The influence of the electric field strength on the main drop diameter, the satellite diameter and their size distribution in dripping and in jet modes has been investigated. The processes of formation of the main droplet and of the satellite have also been studied. The effect of the operating voltage on the jet formation is discussed and the existence of a hysteresis is reported. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.