Abstract: An electrostatic spraying apparatus in which an electrode is mounted adjacent to the sprayhead, means are provided for causing a first electrical potential to be applied to liquid emerging from the sprayhead, and further means are provided for applying a second electrical potential to the electrode. The difference between the first and second potentials is sufficient to cause an intense field to be developed between the emerging liquid and the electrode, sufficient to atomise the liquid. The electrode has a core of conducting or semiconducting material sheathed in a "semi-insulating" material. This "semi-insulating" material has a dielectric strength and volume resistivity sufficiently high to prevent sparking between the electrode and the sprayhead and a volume resistivity sufficiently low to allow charge collected on the surface of the material to be conducted through the "semi-insulating" material to the conducting or semiconducting core.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for spraying liquids wherein liquid emerging from a sprayhead is subjected to an electrical field sufficiently high for the liquid to be drawn from the sprayhead in the form of one or more filaments. The filament or filaments become unstable and subsequently break up into droplets. A stream of gas is caused to flow through the region of the high electrical field, the gas flowing in a direction parallel or substantially parallel with the direction in which the liquid emerges from the sprayhead. Droplets are thus removed from the region and a built-in in space charge is reduced.