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Mystic tan's promotional materials explain the process of electrostatic misting as 'uses the human body's own magnetic properties '. This is incorrect and confounds an explanation of the principles at work. The magnetic principles do not play a role in the process.
The Mystic Tan system is a practical implementation of electrostatic spraying. In this system, a high voltage electrical supply imparts a charge onto finely divided mist particles. These charged particles are then carried into the tanning booth by a vehicle of compressed air.
Once inside the booth, the charged particles are subject to the forces of dislike charges. The greater the charge differential, the stronger the attraction. The largest differential in charges occur between freshly delivered mist, and the ground plate, which is the return circuit to the power supply.
Because the recipient is standing on the ground plate, they represent a similar differential to the charged mist. As the charged mist particles comes into contact with the recipient, the immediate charges combine, forming an average charge in that region. This average charge is now of less attraction to freshly charged mist. The resistive qualities of the human body control the reduction of this average charge toward that of the ground plate.
A major component of this circuit is the air gap that exists between the nozzle electrodes and the recipient. it produces a highly resistive circuit. As a result, current flows are very small, and very high voltages must be used to produce any work.
As with any practical implementation of working circuits, there are situations where undesirable effects take place. In electrical terms, 'leakage' is the loss of energy which otherwise would be available for work. Within the Mystic booth there are several forms of 'leakage' . When the tanning cycle is in progress, the charged mist is attracted to parts of the booth that are not intended. If you observe the nozzles during delivery, you will see the lotion collect on them. This is a form of leakage where the highly charged particles are attracting to the closest differential. As the booth is made of non conducting plastic, it does not attract the charged mist. However, if the booth is allowed to have residual water from a wash cycle, it can become more attractive to the charged mist.
There are other factors that interfere with the usefull qualities of the electrostatic effects. Dry skin can abosrb lotion in an uneven manner. The effects of impingement created when the mist is delivered into the booth can also overcome the electrostatic effets.
The high voltage circuit consists of an encapsulated supply that is physically postioned within the oscillating nozzle bank. The primary side of this supply is wired in parallel with the lotion meter drive. The secondary side of the supply is connected to he nozzle terminals with three high voltage conductors. The high voltage supply is powered throughout the tanning cycle.