Abstract
The charges on droplets produced by air-blast atomization were determined for 0.1%, 1.0%, and 10% concentration of sodium chloride-uranine solute in water. A parallel-plate mobility spectrometer was used to measure the mobility of residual solid particles, and simultaneous size distribution measurements made it possible to calculate the charge on the droplet from which the solid particle was derived. The relationship between the average number of electronic units of charge, |q¯| on a droplet and its diameter, D, |q¯| aD b where a and b are functions of the solute concentration. Droplet charges were not symmetrical with respect to polarity, an effect which was also related to concentration. The results are compared with those reported by others, and their practical significance is discussed.