Experimental study on the multiple Taylor cones ionic liquid electrospray with circular emitter under various input parameters

The application of circular emitter enables the formation of electrospray with multiple Taylor cones, thereby significantly enhancing the throughput rate. The supply flow rate serves as a critical parameter for adjusting the performance of electrospray, and the multiple Taylor cones electrospray is a process that involves multiple parameters. Based on previous studies of the circular-emitter ionic liquid electrospray thruster, this study optimizes the structure by incorporating sleeve fitting. These sleeve fittings play a crucial role in guaranteeing seamless alignment among various components. As a result, the discharge phenomenon of the thruster is effectively suppressed, and the current signal is more reliable. By adjusting the voltage and flow rate, experimental investigations are conducted with the optimized structure. In the experiment, images of multiple Taylor cones under different voltage and flow rate conditions are captured. The liquid surfaces within the groove are extracted to verify that the unstable state can transform into stable state after long time emission. The distribution of Taylor cones at the emitter tip is reconstructed based on the images. Through the calculation of the average flow rate and average current per Taylor cone, the relationships among the supply voltage, the supply flow rate, the average current and flow rate per Taylor cone, and the emission current are discussed. This comprehensive study contributes to further understanding the complex behaviors and interactions within the multiple Taylor cones electrospray and provides valuable insights for its practical applications and performance improvement.