THE THEORY OF MONODISPERSION OF LIQUIDS BY GRAVITATIONAL AND ELECTRIC-FIELDS

It is shown that the drop regime of the electrostatic monodispersion of liquid from the meniscus on the tip of the capillary through which the liquid is supplied takes place under the joint action of equally directed gravitational and electric forces with the gravitational forces playing a decisive role. With the increase of electric forces, with other conditions equal, the size of torn away drops decreases, while their charges and the frequency of emission increase. When the contribution of gravitational forces to the detachment of the drop from the tip of the capillary tube becomes negligible as compared to electric forces, the transition to the harmonic regime of the monodispersion of the fluid occurs. The parameters of drops simulated in this regime, as well as the existence of different zones of harmonic monodispersion, are subject to adequate physical theoretical analysis within the framework of the thermodynamic approach on the basis of the principle of the minimum scattering of energy in the stationary nonequilibrium process. © 1993 Academic Press. All rights reserved.