Mohd Sani, Nurfadzilah (2025) The effect of density and ionisation ring parameter on the performance of Taylor cone characteristics based on electrospray technique. Masters thesis, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka.
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The effect of density and ionisation ring parameter on the performance of Taylor cone characteristics based on electrospray technique.pdf - Submitted Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (5MB) |
Abstract
This study investigates the influence of fluid density and ionisation ring parameters on the formation and stability of the Taylor cone in electrospray systems that are utilised in precision combustion, biomedical, and microfabrication applications. Despite the intense research on electrospray, achieving a consistent Taylor cone remains a challenge due to the complex interplay between electrostatic forces and fluid dynamics. To overcome the problem, this work aims to optimise electrospray parameters, including ionisation ring diameter (IDIR), ionisation ring (IR) positioning or nozzle-to-target distance, and applied voltage. In addition, the effects of electrospray settings on the density of liquid and Taylor cone formation are comprehensively investigated. An experimental approach was taken to examine the influences of fluid densities using ethanol and n-heptane mixtures and ionisation ring configuration effects on cone angle, jet length, and droplet dispersion. Key parameters evaluated include applied voltage (2–10 kV), ionisation ring inner diameters, and axial distances from the nozzle (10.3 mm, 15.3 mm, and 21.2 mm), under controlled flow rates using a precision syringe pump. Imaging was employed to observe transitions between dripping, spindle, cone-jet, and multijet modes. Results reveal that lower-density fluids, like ethanol, require less voltage for cone-jet initiation but exhibit greater instability at higher voltages, while denser fluids, such as water, demand higher voltages and closer ionisation ring proximity for stable operation. The combination of low-density fluid and optimised ionisation ring positioning yielded the most uniform spray and droplet sizes. Furthermore, the study identifies significant synergistic effects between fluid density and electric field shaping via the ionisation ring, with field concentration found to strongly dictate cone formation quality. In conclusion, the results suggest that a larger IDIR requires a higher voltage to initiate the formation of the Taylor cone but provides a wider range of stable cone-jet operation. In contrast, low-density liquids require a lower voltage to generate the Taylor cone; however, they are more susceptible to transitioning into a spray or flying current at higher voltages.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Electrospray, Microcombustor, Taylor cone, Ring ionization |
| Subjects: | T Technology T Technology > TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) |
| Divisions: | Library > Tesis > FTKM |
| Depositing User: | Norhairol Khalid |
| Date Deposited: | 17 Mar 2026 07:12 |
| Last Modified: | 17 Mar 2026 07:12 |
| URI: | http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/29645 |
| Statistic Details: | View Download Statistic |
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