A nonwetting electrostatic assisted nozzle for spraying a catalytic melt

In this paper the authors show how a normal pressure nozzle can be adapted into a successful electrostatic assisted atomiser for one particular industrial application. The “reverse modelling” technique for the design of the nozzle head, induction electrode and counter `wetting´ electrode using the finite element method is of universal value and can be used widely in induction charging electrostatic spraying applications where wetting is a problem. Experimental results showed that under the same operating condition, an optimised geometry and position of electrodes can give a spray current an order of magnitude higher than the previous design without any wetting problem. An optimum combination of an induction and a counter electrode geometry and positions will ensure a nonwetting induction nozzle assembly with very high charging efficiency