Abstract

The phenomenon of electrostatic atomization and the process of electrostatic spray painting are analyzed to show the role of the various physical parameters. The charging and atomization of an individual fluid jet in an electrostatic field are investigated in detail. Experimental data are presented for various quantities such as drop size and charge per unit mass of drops under typical conditions of electrostatic painting and also for single jets. Approximate formulas are given which relate these quantities to the fluid properties and the electrical fields in the system.