An Experimental Study of Electrohydrodynamic Atomization Modes of Ethanol

Electrospray is an atomization method which produces monodisperse and fine droplets by applying a high potential difference between a nozzle and a counter electrode. Therefore liquid meniscus shows different behaviors when flow rate or applied voltage varies in the electrospray method. Here we report experimental study of these modes based on observation of the liquid meniscus shape emitted from the nozzle. The formation of different modes is reported and forces acting on the meniscus in each mode is discussed. In this work classification of electrospray modes is reviewed for wide range of flow rates, between 0-80 ml⁄h, and voltage, between 0-8.5 kV. Electrospraying of ethanol is studied as a promising clean fuel for wide range of voltages and flow rates. Formation of dripping, sibling, spindle, micro spindle, intermittent cone jet, oscillating Jet, precession, cone-jet, multi jet, simple jet and ramified jet modes is observed. It should be noted that all of this study such as identification of mode shapes have been done according to taking photo from electrospray phenomenon by method of shadowgraphy, and this method has been done by using a high speed camera and a high resolution camera. In present configuration, for all of flow rates, there is the dripping and sibling mode for all of voltages which are lower than 3kV, for voltages between 3-4kV the spindle mode will be seen and for the voltages which are more than 5.5kV the multi jet mode will be observed. There are the other mode shapes for voltages between 4-5.5kV.