coating materials and application methods

POWDER SPRAY GUNS

BY ALAN J. KNOBBE
NORDSON CORP., AMHERST, OHIO
253
Two basic types of electrostatic powder guns are used for the spray
application
of powder coating materials. They are corona guns and tribo guns,
where corona
and tribo refer to the predominant process used in the guns for
electrostatically
charging the powder particles.
CORONA GUNS
Corona charging guns work by bombarding powder particles sprayed
from
the gun with charged particles called ions. The corona charging process
is illustrated
in Figure 1.
The corona charging process begins with a potential (or voltage) applied
to one
or more electrodes at or near the front of the gun. A high-voltage
generator is used
to produce this voltage of up to 100,000 V. As the voltage on the
electrode is increased,
an electric field is produced between the gun and the grounded
workpiece.
When the electric field in the vicinity of the electrode reaches a strength
of
about 30,000 V/cm, the field is strong enough to break down the air in
the vicinity
of the electrode. This electrical breakdown of air results in the creation of
charged molecules or ions in the form of a continuous discharge known
as a
corona discharge. Powder particles exiting the gun travel near the
electrode
where they are bombarded by these ions and accumulate a charge.
Both the charged ions and the charged powder particles are influenced
by
the electric field between the gun and the workpiece and tend to follow
the electric
field to the part, as illustrated by lines in Figure 1. Ions that do not
become
attached to powder particles in flight are known as excess ions or free
ions. Typically,
only a few percent of the ions generated actually become attached to
powder
particles in flight. Some powder particles may be shielded from other
particles
in the charging zone and, therefore, do not accumulate a charge. For
these
particles, aerodynamic forces resulting from the powder conveying air
might
propel them toward the workpiece.

Charged powder particles and excess ions are both deposited on the
grounded
workpiece. The charged powder particles are held onto the workpiece
electrostatically
until it is transported into an oven for curing. Heat causes the powder
particles to flow together and fuse into a continuous film.
The Pauthenier equation describes the charge, over time, accumulated
by a powder
particle exposed to a corona discharge:
Q(t) =Ar2Et/(t+t)
where, A = a constant, which depends on the particle composition, r =
particle
radius, E = electric field strength = electrode voltage/gun-to-workpiece
distance,
t = time, and t = charging time constant.
The charging performance of a corona gun can be affected by the gun-
toworkpiece
distance. Today, corona guns are available that use specially designed
high-voltage generators or gun-control modules to reduce or eliminate
this dependency.
The high-voltage generator may be located remotely from the gun in the
gun-control module or, alternatively, part of it may be located within the
gun
body itself. When the high-voltage generator is located in the gun-control
module, a high-voltage cable is used to transmit the power to the gun.
When
a portion of the high-voltage generator is located within the gun body, a
lowvoltage
cable is used.
For spraying most types of finishing powders, a negative-polarity voltage
is produced
in the high-voltage generator. This results in the powder particles
accumulating
a negative charge. Positive-polarity generators are also typically
available
as an option and are used primarily for charging nylon powders.
Two basic types of spray heads are available for shaping the powder
particles
into a cloud as they exit a corona gun. They are called conical deflectors
and
flat-spray nozzles. Conical deflectors shape the powder cloud into a
circular,
hollow, dome-shaped pattern. These spray heads can produce a large,
low-velocity
spray, 360° SD in circumference. They are best for simple-shaped
workpieces
and can produce a very high transfer efficiency. Flat-spray nozzles
typically have
a single slot through which the powder particles exit. The resulting
powder
cloud is fan-shaped from the side, but has a narrow width. These
nozzles may have
a higher velocity than a conical spray head and are, therefore, best for
spraying
parts with deep recesses and corners. Many equipment manufacturers
design their electrostatic corona powder
spray guns to comply with the different codes governing the manufacture
and
use of these products worldwide. Some of the worldwide agencies that
test and
issue approvals on these spray guns are Factory Mutual (United States),
Canadian
Standards Association, European Committee for Electrotechnical
Standardization
(CENELEC), and the Research Institute of Industrial Safety (RIIS,
Japan).
In the United States, a local fire marshal would typically look for
“Approved”
equipment or compliance with National Fire Protection Association
(N.F.P.A.)
Standard 33, Spray Application Using Flammable and Combustible
Materials,
before permitting an installation to start production.