Determining effects of induction electrode geometry on charging efficiency of droplets in pesticide electrostatic spraying applications

Smart Agricultural Technology, cilt.4, ss.1-7, 2023 (Scopus)

A B S T R A C T

Electrode properties in the induction charging method, usually used in electrostatic pesticide spraying, can have

a significant impact on the charging efficiency. The study aimed to investigate the effect of several specifications

of the ring-shaped electrode such as diameter, length, cross-section shape, material, and the number of used

electrodes, on the charging efficiency of spray droplets. Also, the effect of insulating the electrode electrically on

removing the electric leakage resulting from electrode wetting and increasing the charging efficiency was

studied. Results showed that neither the electrode material nor its cross-section shape affects the charging efficiency.

Reducing the diameter and increasing the length of the ring-shaped induction electrode improves the

charging operation by inducing more electric charges on the liquid jet. However, they cause electrode wetting

and later electrical leakage at low values of the electrode voltages. Using more than one electrode to charge the

spray droplets can increase charging efficiency. Generally, the insulated electrode with an insulator layer reduces

the charging efficiency of spray droplets by about 24~38% at 1~6 kV electrode voltage compared with the

exposed electrode. Nevertheless, it increases the charging efficiency (by 28% at 16 kV) by allowing the use of

high values of the high voltage applied to the induction electrode without facing the electrical leakage between

the electrode surface and grounded liquid that causes the earthing of the high voltage electrode and stopping of

the charging operation.