scruffythefirst

I've been reading this particular forum for a while and the disscussion with aeroponics always seems to turn to sprayers.

I have been discussing the problem with a friend of mine who is doing a physics degree and she suggested mixing the water and nutes from a low volume and high pressure pump with a high pressure airline before it enters the manifold. This would give the required mist effect - the main problems with typical sprayers is the quantity of water pumped out - surface tension in the large mass of water causes it to stick together and therefore not form the tiny droplets required. With a low volume of water it is hard to get the required pressure with very fine nozzles. Has anyone come across very fine sprayers? (I'm sure I saw a link to metal nozzles with a 50 micron droplet but i can't find it again.)

However mixing high pressure air with high pressure liquid in the manifold is going to create some problems at the nozzles end - ie the water sits on the bottom of the pipe and the air on top. Perhaps bubbling the high pressure air through a manifold full of water just in front of the sprayers would work? Or what about sprayer nozzles which have two inputs - one air line and one water line which are mixed as they pass through the hole. (a bit like the carb on a car)

I know most people have got a droplet system they are happy with, but i'm looking for maximum performance and a truly atomized mist (IMHO) is the best way to do this (When lights and Co2 have been considered)

Anybody got any ideas how we can get this idea working?

Great site guys