Microbecide® TC-320 Electrostatic Sprayer System

Microbecide® electrostatic sprayer systems is a world leader in applying nano coatings, antimicrobials, hospital disinfectants and other liquid-based, Eco-friendly solutions utilizing electrostatic technology.

Nano Coating Using Electrostatic Technology - How it works

Nano coatings are composed of extremely tiny droplets. Electrostatic application of a nano coating employs the law of physics describing the electrostatic interaction between electrically charged objects. This law is behind why metal filings are drawn to a magnet, lint is attracted to your clothes or dust clings to the screen of your television. These are all examples of Coulomb's law in action - opposite electrical charges attract and "like" charges repel. (These principles of physics were first published in 1783 by French physicist Charles Augustin de Coulomb.)

In numerous commercial, industrial and agricultural spraying operations, electrostatic forces of attraction significantly improve the deposition (coating) of charged droplets onto target surfaces.  Such operations include liquid and powder paint coatings, electrostatic precipitation of air pollutants from stacks, electrostatic spraying of agricultural pesticides onto field crops and orchards, xerographic copying, ink-jet printing, textile flocking, and more recently, disinfection, sanitization and decontamination applications.

Droplet Control & Droplet Size

Common to all these electrostatics based operations are droplet control and droplet size. Droplet control consists of first, imparting an appreciable net electrical charge onto the individual droplets (e.g., 5-15 mC/kg charge – to mass), and secondly, propelling the charged droplets to the target surface.

Droplet size is the result of shattering, or atomizing, the jet of spray coating into much smaller droplets. Droplet sizes are measured in microns. The most common term used to describe droplet size is Volume Median Diameter (VMD). VMD refers to the midpoint droplet size (mean), where half of the volume of spray is in droplets smaller, and half of the volume is in droplets larger than the mean. A VMD of 50, for example, indicates that half of the volume is in droplet sizes smaller than 50 microns, and half the volume is in droplet sizes larger than 50 microns.

A micron is 1/1000 millimeter, or about 1/25,000 of an inch. In comparison, a drop of water is about 250 to 300 microns in size, a human hair is about 100 microns in diameter. Droplets 50 microns and less are generally considered to be aerosol droplets.  The range and size of droplets in any given spray has tremendous influence on coverage, volume of spray used, retention, and runoff. When droplets greater than 150 microns strike target surfaces, they become flattened, but their kinetic energy is such that they retract and bounce away.  Small droplets are better retained as they lack the kinetic energy to overcome surface energy and viscous changes that occur on impact and do not bounce away.

Optimum Droplet Size

The optimum size is generally considered to be between 40 and 100 microns.  Droplets in this range cover more surface area, require lower volumes, are less susceptible to bounce back and runoff than those larger than 100 microns. The surface area of a liquid is greatly increased when broken into small droplets.  The volume needed to cover target surface decreases proportionally with droplet size.  Even small changes in droplet diameter make big differences in droplet weight. An increase in droplet diameter from 150 microns to about 190 microns doubles the droplet weight. An increase in droplet diameter from 150 microns to about 240 microns increases the weight 4 times. Doubling the diameter to 300 microns increases its weight, and also its volume, by 8 times.

Charged vs Uncharged Droplets

When droplets are uncharged, neither the droplets nor the target surface has any influence on the other.  Sprayed droplets are principally influenced by forces generated by the spraying device (pressure, air flow) and by external forces of gravity and air drag.  Uncharged droplets are more susceptible to air currents in the spraying area while charged droplets are less influenced by air currents.   

An electrostatic sprayer induces an electrical charge onto droplets creating an attractive force between charged droplets and targets.  This electrostatic force overrides gravity and inertia to pull droplets out of their paths – up, down or sideways – to the closest surface.

To compare influence, the electrostatic force on charged droplets is up to 75 times greater than the force of gravity.  Electrostatically charged droplets are also influenced by the sprayer’s mechanical forces, however, once they reach the vicinity of the target, electrostatic forces take over to a very large degree.

In water based coatings, the water carries the electrical charge.  Charged sprays, unlike uncharged sprays, resist coalescing into larger droplets both in transit and deposition.  As each charged droplet is deposited on a surface, electrical charges balance out at that site, making it no longer attractive to other charged droplets.  The droplets following are pulled instead to the rest of the surfaces which remain attractive.

Atomization & Induction Charging

A typical droplet of spray from a conventional air-blast applicator is around 250 microns in size. A typical droplet of spray from a Microbecide® electrostatic sprayer is around 40 microns. In the nozzle of a Microbecide® electrostatic sprayer the coating liquid passes in very close proximity (but does not contact) a positively charged electrode, inducing a negative charge (excess electrons) in the grounded liquid stream. The stream of coating liquid, with its excess electrons, is combined in a shearing action with a near sonic velocity jet of air, shattering (atomizing) the coating liquid into droplets 30 to 40 microns in size.

Shattering the liquid stream breaks the droplets free from the grounded liquid stream and traps the excess of electrons. As the electrically charged droplets exit the nozzle, they create a charged field plume that is strongly attracted to the targeted object. The charge on the atomized droplets remains until discharged on a grounded object or the water content of the droplet evaporates.

Induction charging is based on the principle that a field charge, created within the plume, is presented to a grounded target. It is this field charge the plume creates that really makes a Microbecide® electrostatic sprayer so effective. The charge is small, but the force attracting the coating plume to the target is substantial, up to 75 times the force of gravity.

As the target sits with a neutral potential the proximity of the field charge induces a strong attraction. The droplets actually reverse direction and coat the underside, backside and crevasses of the target, creating an "electrostatic wraparound." In comparison, a 250 micron droplet simply runs off a target and is largely wasted.

Additionally there is the second half of Coulomb's Law, that "like" charges repel. Since all of the coating droplets leaving the nozzle have the same charge, they cannot coalesce into large droplets, which again fall off the target. At the same time, the swirling droplets are not attracted to areas already coated and continue to seek out uncovered surface areas until there is uniform coverage (disposition) across the entire target. This results in a consistent, uniform coating, no drips, no runs and no uncoated areas.

What Matters Most

Microscopic organisms are usually hidden in deep cracks and crevasses inside or on the undersides of surface areas, and continue to survive if coverage is spotty. The extraordinary bonding of the coating to the target and the complete, uniform coverage achieved are distinct advantages of Microbecide® electrostatic sprayers. Experience is showing it is not just what is applied but how a coating is applied that matters most.

"Microbecide® Spray & Microbecide® Gel with their EPA-registered active ingredient are proven to be remarkably effective health defense against Avian, Influenza A and Bird Flu viruses that have now converged into the A/H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus."

Effective Against HFMD

Located in Singapore with strong ties across ASEAN, we are fortunate to have access to viral specimens as well as testing capabilities that many manufacturers lack.

With the possibility of dangerous pandemics again looming (HFMD,Swine Flu, SARS, Bird Flu), and antibiotic resistant superbugs (EV71, MRSA, VRE) on the rise, daycare facilities, institutions, companies and individuals are faced with the dilemma of how to protect their kids, employees and families from infectious disease without exposing them to toxic chemicals.

Microbecide® Spray & Microbecide® Gel with their EPA-registered active ingredient, silver ions in solution, are non-toxic to humans and pets, but fatal to Avian, Influenza A and Bird Flu viruses now converging into Swine Flu (H1N1) virus.

Person-to-person transmission of flu occurs mainly through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with the flu viruses on it and then touching their mouths or noses.

According to the CDC, person-to-person transmission of flu occurs mainly through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with the flu viruses on it and then touching their mouths or noses.

Microbecide's active ingredient has been registered by the EPA specifically for use on children's toys, cribs, high chairs and other sensitive areas of the home as well as for use on hard surfaces in multitudes of environments, including hospitals, schools and offices.

Microbecide® disinfectant is effective against both Human and Avian Influenza A, our manufacturing capability in Singapore has the capacity to react not only to the needs locally but also abroad to supply a much needed preventative solution should the current outbreak become pandemic.

Microbecide® products are sold through a variety of distributors and retail outlets in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia.

Microbecide® Spray provides a 30-second kill and 24-hour residual protection against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella choleraesuis. Notable viral efficacy claims include a 3-minute kill against Human Corona virus (SARS surrogate) and Rotavirus and a 10-minute kill against Norovirus, Human Influenza A and Avian Influenza A (Bird Flu). Microbecide® Spray is odorless, colorless, non-corrosive, non-flammable and compatible with most other disinfecting and cleaning compounds.

Protect with Microbecide® Spray & Gel
Kills Influenza A Bird Flu SARS HFMD HIV Herpes Fast!

Active ingredients:
Silver ions in solution US EPA Reg No. 70404-9 & 72977-2

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