Thread: Creating Positive Ions

For the purpose of dust removal from CCD sensors I need to figure out a way to create positive ions in an air stream in a cost effective way. There appears to be a ton of information on creating negative ions, but I'm not finding any good info on creating positive ions. The purpose here will be to break the static bound between the dust particles and a CCD sensor. I have pretty expensive cameras I use for astrophotography and hate to keep cleaning these sensors via mechanical means. Not to mention dust flys back on the sensor seconds after I'm done due to static buildup.

We can move this if it's off topic for this sub forum.

Thanks

IS

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

For the purpose of dust removal from CCD sensors I need to figure out a way to create positive ions in an air stream in a cost effective way. There appears to be a ton of information on creating negative ions, but I'm not finding any good info on creating positive ions. The purpose here will be to break the static bound between the dust particles and a CCD sensor. I have pretty expensive cameras I use for astrophotography and hate to keep cleaning these sensors via mechanical means. Not to mention dust flys back on the sensor seconds after I'm done due to static buildup.

We can move this if it's off topic for this sub forum.

Thanks

IS

Anything that is creating negative ions wll create positive ions at the same time. You will not find anything that creates a stream of only ions of one charge as the repulsive forces quickly disperese it. In any case ionization results in an overall neutral situatin -- the positive ions cmpensating for the negative ions.

Have you tried just compressed air ? There are compressed air cans designed specifically for the cleaning of photographic equipment.

Originally Posted by DrRocket

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

For the purpose of dust removal from CCD sensors I need to figure out a way to create positive ions in an air stream in a cost effective way. There appears to be a ton of information on creating negative ions, but I'm not finding any good info on creating positive ions. The purpose here will be to break the static bound between the dust particles and a CCD sensor. I have pretty expensive cameras I use for astrophotography and hate to keep cleaning these sensors via mechanical means. Not to mention dust flys back on the sensor seconds after I'm done due to static buildup.

We can move this if it's off topic for this sub forum.

Thanks

IS

Anything that is creating negative ions wll create positive ions at the same time. You will not find anything that creates a stream of only ions of one charge as the repulsive forces quickly disperese it. In any case ionization results in an overall neutral situatin -- the positive ions cmpensating for the negative ions.

Have you tried just compressed air ? There are compressed air cans designed specifically for the cleaning of photographic equipment.

Regular canned compressed air of course contaminates the sensors. Blower bulbs I've found just toss more small particles on the sensor after blowing off the larger particles. Their is a product called the Firefly blower that produces an air stream that is ionized in such a way that it breaks the bound of particles to the sensors. It's very very pricey however for what it is. If the canned air for optics breaks the static bound then it's worth a try.

So what would be a good way to neutralize charge on the sensor glass without touching it ? Pass the air through a high voltage before reaching the sensor ? How would I know it was neutral and not more positive or negative ?

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

Originally Posted by DrRocket

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

For the purpose of dust removal from CCD sensors I need to figure out a way to create positive ions in an air stream in a cost effective way. There appears to be a ton of information on creating negative ions, but I'm not finding any good info on creating positive ions. The purpose here will be to break the static bound between the dust particles and a CCD sensor. I have pretty expensive cameras I use for astrophotography and hate to keep cleaning these sensors via mechanical means. Not to mention dust flys back on the sensor seconds after I'm done due to static buildup.

We can move this if it's off topic for this sub forum.

Thanks

IS

Anything that is creating negative ions wll create positive ions at the same time. You will not find anything that creates a stream of only ions of one charge as the repulsive forces quickly disperese it. In any case ionization results in an overall neutral situatin -- the positive ions cmpensating for the negative ions.

Have you tried just compressed air ? There are compressed air cans designed specifically for the cleaning of photographic equipment.

Regular canned compressed air of course contaminates the sensors. Blower bulbs I've found just toss more small particles on the sensor after blowing off the larger particles. Their is a product called the Firefly blower that produces an air stream that is ionized in such a way that it breaks the bound of particles to the sensors. It's very very pricey however for what it is. If the canned air for optics breaks the static bound then it's worth a try.

So what would be a good way to neutralize charge on the sensor glass without touching it ? Pass the air through a high voltage before reaching the sensor ? How would I know it was neutral and not more positive or negative ?

One way is to ground it so that any charge can flow to ground. To do that without touching it you might try bringing some sort of conductor, connected to earth ground near it and then employing an ionizer to provide a conductive path from the sensor to the ground. Humid air also helps to dissipate static.

Any ionization that you do will be overall neutral. Ionization is accomplished by separating charges from neutral molecules and results in an overall neutral plasma.

Originally Posted by DrRocket

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

Originally Posted by DrRocket

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

For the purpose of dust removal from CCD sensors I need to figure out a way to create positive ions in an air stream in a cost effective way. There appears to be a ton of information on creating negative ions, but I'm not finding any good info on creating positive ions. The purpose here will be to break the static bound between the dust particles and a CCD sensor. I have pretty expensive cameras I use for astrophotography and hate to keep cleaning these sensors via mechanical means. Not to mention dust flys back on the sensor seconds after I'm done due to static buildup.

We can move this if it's off topic for this sub forum.

Thanks

IS

Anything that is creating negative ions wll create positive ions at the same time. You will not find anything that creates a stream of only ions of one charge as the repulsive forces quickly disperese it. In any case ionization results in an overall neutral situatin -- the positive ions cmpensating for the negative ions.

Have you tried just compressed air ? There are compressed air cans designed specifically for the cleaning of photographic equipment.

Regular canned compressed air of course contaminates the sensors. Blower bulbs I've found just toss more small particles on the sensor after blowing off the larger particles. Their is a product called the Firefly blower that produces an air stream that is ionized in such a way that it breaks the bound of particles to the sensors. It's very very pricey however for what it is. If the canned air for optics breaks the static bound then it's worth a try.

So what would be a good way to neutralize charge on the sensor glass without touching it ? Pass the air through a high voltage before reaching the sensor ? How would I know it was neutral and not more positive or negative ?

One way is to ground it so that any charge can flow to ground. To do that without touching it you might try bringing some sort of conductor, connected to earth ground near it and then employing an ionizer to provide a conductive path from the sensor to the ground. Humid air also helps to dissipate static.

Any ionization that you do will be overall neutral. Ionization is accomplished by separating charges from neutral molecules and results in an overall neutral plasma.

OK, so a few thousand volts at a sharp point with air blowing past it in theory would produce for lack of better words ionized air ? This should help dislodge dust particles that are stuck by static charge ? One of my largest problems is living in the desert. It tends to be very dry and static charged around here.

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

Originally Posted by DrRocket

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

Originally Posted by DrRocket

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

For the purpose of dust removal from CCD sensors I need to figure out a way to create positive ions in an air stream in a cost effective way. There appears to be a ton of information on creating negative ions, but I'm not finding any good info on creating positive ions. The purpose here will be to break the static bound between the dust particles and a CCD sensor. I have pretty expensive cameras I use for astrophotography and hate to keep cleaning these sensors via mechanical means. Not to mention dust flys back on the sensor seconds after I'm done due to static buildup.

We can move this if it's off topic for this sub forum.

Thanks

IS

Anything that is creating negative ions wll create positive ions at the same time. You will not find anything that creates a stream of only ions of one charge as the repulsive forces quickly disperese it. In any case ionization results in an overall neutral situatin -- the positive ions cmpensating for the negative ions.

Have you tried just compressed air ? There are compressed air cans designed specifically for the cleaning of photographic equipment.

Regular canned compressed air of course contaminates the sensors. Blower bulbs I've found just toss more small particles on the sensor after blowing off the larger particles. Their is a product called the Firefly blower that produces an air stream that is ionized in such a way that it breaks the bound of particles to the sensors. It's very very pricey however for what it is. If the canned air for optics breaks the static bound then it's worth a try.

So what would be a good way to neutralize charge on the sensor glass without touching it ? Pass the air through a high voltage before reaching the sensor ? How would I know it was neutral and not more positive or negative ?

One way is to ground it so that any charge can flow to ground. To do that without touching it you might try bringing some sort of conductor, connected to earth ground near it and then employing an ionizer to provide a conductive path from the sensor to the ground. Humid air also helps to dissipate static.

Any ionization that you do will be overall neutral. Ionization is accomplished by separating charges from neutral molecules and results in an overall neutral plasma.

OK, so a few thousand volts at a sharp point with air blowing past it in theory would produce for lack of better words ionized air ? This should help dislodge dust particles that are stuck by static charge ? One of my largest problems is living in the desert. It tends to be very dry and static charged around here.

Assuming that the problem really is static charge, you would need not only the ions but also a separate path to ground to bleed off the charge on the dust. That could be just a wire connected to earth ground (the center screw on a normal household outlet should be tied to ground) or better yet a wire with a plate attached to give it some area. A little humidity would not hurt either. A humidifier in the area or a swamp cooler on the house would be beneficial, but probably not necessary if the ionozer is working well.

You should be really careful with the "few thousand volts and a sharp point". I imagine that you know enough not to get yourself hurt, but if you get an arc to your CCD cell that would probably be a bad thing.

Anyone ever follow up on this study? Positive O2 ionization does happen with air compression. We have it happen all the time in Southern California with the Santa Ana winds. Just curious to see if anyone did a study on creating either negative and positive ionization and what the results where....I have my own theories with results to mental health on people, however I would love to hear from anyone who has done any studies.

Originally Posted by (In)Sanity

For the purpose of dust removal from CCD sensors I need to figure out a way to create positive ions in an air stream in a cost effective way. There appears to be a ton of information on creating negative ions, but I'm not finding any good info on creating positive ions. The purpose here will be to break the static bound between the dust particles and a CCD sensor. I have pretty expensive cameras I use for astrophotography and hate to keep cleaning these sensors via mechanical means. Not to mention dust flys back on the sensor seconds after I'm done due to static buildup.

We can move this if it's off topic for this sub forum.

Thanks

IS