Creation of the charged water aerosol cell with the limiting electric charge

The existing methods and devices for creating the charged atmospheric cells with a total electric space charge being constrained solely by the air strength are considered. The conditions needed to obtain a water aerosol, to charge its outward directed flow and to transport the latter over a grounded surface are studied. The schemes and performances of the charged aerosol generators are illustrated. The requirements for such generators were stated based on the gain and transport of the maximal electric space charge into the investigated space area. The main requirements for a charged aerosol transport are a) to provide a charged particle transfer velocity sufficient for overcoming the space charge induced electric field, b) to restrict the particles leaking out the boundaries of a gasdynamic flow and c) to prevent the discharge and breakdown phenomena at the generator outlet. The basic limiting parameters of the charged spatial areas (i.e. the space charge density, the total charge and its volume, the charged particle lifetime and mobility, the supporting electric current etc.) have been obtained. It has been shown, that under optimal conditions for the charged aerosol generation both transport, a space charge can be gained such that its further increase becomes terminated because of the air disruption (as closely analogous to the thundercloud cell). The parameters of such limiting space charges obtained experimentally in a laboratory have been presented