New Design of Ion Blower Based on Needle-Dielectric-Needle Bipolar Corona Discharge

Abstract

We present here a new design of ion blower based on bipolar corona discharge of needle-dielectric-needle configuration. With the help of the dielectric plate, the new ion blower can endure higher voltage before spark than the traditional bipolar corona discharge, with the similar discharge characteristics and current-voltage curve. The high operating voltage provides a much greater ionic wind velocity compared with the traditional needle-to-needle corona. The neutral ionic wind can reach as far as 0.45m with a velocity of 0.2m/s. This feature is very helpful for eliminating mechanical rotating components in the design of ion blowers, so that the size of ion blower can be greatly compressed and the noise significantly reduced, which is more suitable for electrostatic elimination in small areas and some specific scenarios. The design of self-balancing regulation unit can effectively monitor the charged characteristics of mixed ion wind and make corresponding adjustments to ensure the neutrality of positive and negative discharge. This new ion blower has an excellent performance, including an offset voltage of ±5V, a short discharge time of 5s or less at distance of 20cm.