Aerosol Canister/ Aerosol Spray

Aerosol spray is a type of dispensing system which creates an aerosol mist of liquid
particles. This is used with a can or bottle that contains a liquid under pressure. When the
container's valve is opened, the liquid is forced out of a small hole and emerges as an aerosol
or mist. As gas expands to drive out the payload, only some propellant evaporates inside the
can to maintain an even pressure.

Outside the can, the droplets of propellant evaporate rapidly, leaving the payload
suspended as very fine particles or droplets. Typical liquids dispensed in this way are
insecticides, deodorants and paints. An atomizer is a similar device that is pressurised by a
hand-operated pump rather than by stored gas.

Background and History of the Aerosol Canister

The concept of an aerosol originated as early as 1790, when self-pressurized

carbonated beverages were introduced in France. In 1837, a man called Perpigna invented a
soda siphon incorporating a valve. Metal spray cans were being tested as early as 1862. They
were constructed from heavy steel and were too bulky to be commercially successful.

In 1899, inventors Helbling and Pertsch patented aerosols pressurized using methyl
and ethyl chloride as propellants.

Erik Rotheim

On November 23, 1927, Norwegian engineer Erik Rotheim (also spelled Eric
Rotheim) patented the first aerosol can and valve that could hold and dispense products and
propellant systems. This was the forerunner of the modern aerosol can and valve. In 1998, the
Norwegian post office issued a stamp celebrating the Norwegian invention of the spray can.

Lyle Goodhue and William Sullivan

During World War II, the U.S. government funded research into a portable way for
service men to spray malaria-carrying bugs. Department of Agriculture researchers, Lyle
Goodhue and William Sullivan, developed a small aerosol can pressurized by a liquefied gas
(a fluorocarbon) in 1943. It was their design that made products like hair spray possible,
along with the work of another inventor Robert Abplanalp.

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Robert Abplanalp - Valve Crimp

In 1949, 27-year-old Robert H. Abplanalp’s invention of a crimp on valve enabled

liquids to be sprayed from a can under the pressure of an inert gas. Spray cans, mainly
containing insecticides, were available to the public in 1947 as a result of their use by U.S.
soldiers for preventing insect-borne diseases. Abplanalp’s invention made of lightweight
aluminum made the cans a cheap and practical way to dispense liquids foams, powders, and
creams. In 1953, Robert Abplanal patented his crimp-on valve "for dispensing gases under
pressure." His Precision Valve Corporation was soon earning over $100 million
manufacturing one billion aerosol cans annually in the United States and one-half billion in
10 other countries.

In the mid-1970s, concern over the use of fluorocarbons adversely effecting the ozone
layer drove Abplanalp back into the lab for a solution. Substituting water-soluble
hydrocarbons for the damaging fluorocarbons created an environmentally friendly aerosol
can that did not harm the environment. This put the manufacture of aerosol spray can
products into high gear.

Robert Abplanal invented both the first clog-free valve for spray cans and the
"Aquasol" or pump spray, which used water-soluble hydrocarbons as the propellant source.

Spray Paint in a Can

In 1949, canned spray paint was invented by Edward Seymour, the first paint color
was aluminum. Edward Seymour's wife Bonnie suggested the use of an aerosol can filled
with paint. Edward Seymour founded Seymour of Sycamore, Inc. of Chicago, USA, to
manufacture his spray paints.

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Function of each component in Aerosol Canister

Modern aerosol spray products have three major parts: the can, the valve and the
actuator or button. The can is most commonly lacquered tinplate (steel with a layer of tin)
and may be made of two or three pieces of metal crimped together. Aluminium cans are also
common and are generally used for more expensive products. The valve is crimped to the rig
of the can, and the design of this component is important in determining the spray rate. The
actuator is depressed by the user to open the valve; the shape and size of the nozzle in the
actuator controls the spread of the aerosol spray.

Valves are basically the heart of any aerosol system. It is a combination of two
components, namely the housing and the stem. APII utilizes the most optimized combination
of such bringing you industry standard specification for all your aerosol needs

Cosmetics Actuators Industrial Actuators Specialty Actuators

Actuators are the components that open the aerosol valve. When the actuator is
pressed down by the user to open the valve; the shape and size of the nozzle in the actuator
controls the spread of the aerosol spray.

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Tin Caps Tops & Ends

Agitator balls aid in a more complete and thorough mixing of the contents of an aerosol can.
need to add one in product.

Tamper Proof Seals to give added security.

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Current Design And Suggestion To Improve

Materials Used & Other Possible Materials To Replace

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 Each can material has advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of aluminium
cans are their smooth, attractive appearance and the reduced risk of corrosion (many aerosol
products are corrosive). The main advantage of steel is its lower cost - the raw material cost
of aluminium is relatively high and aluminium can walls must be thicker to withstand the
same internal pressure (the yield strength of the aluminium used is lower than that of steel).
Also steel aerosol cans may be decorated with a higher quality design because printing is
done on the flat sheet - this is easier than printing onto a cylindrical can surface. To
counteract the risk of corrosion of steel cans various systems are used to apply a protective
coating to the inside and outside surfaces.

Most aerosol cans on sale in the UK are made from steel, primarily because of their
lower cost. Aluminium cans are used mainly in small sizes for cosmetic products where the
appearance advantages outweigh the extra cost.

CarnaudMetalbox Aerosols UK manufactures only tinplate aerosol cans. To gain a

competitive advantage, therefore, it was desirable to improve the design of the tinplate
aerosol to make it more competitive with the aluminium can. This was the basis for the
development of the "coneless" tinplate aerosol can, so called because the top component (the
cone) has been eliminated. The rolled form on which the valve fits must be formed from the
cylindrical body as in the aluminium can. This has the advantage of an attractive appearance
similar to the aluminium can while maintaining the lower cost of the tinplate can (in fact the
cost of a coneless tinplate can may even be less than that of the conventional can because the
cost of producing the cone is eliminated). Figure 1.05 shows the manufacturing process for
coneless tinplate aerosols. Figure 1.06 shows for comparison a conventional tinplate aerosol,
the new coneless aerosol with and without a shrink-sleeve decoration (to disguise the
unprinted weld area) and an aluminium aerosol.

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Manufacturing process

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Assembly Process

How Aerosols Are Filled

An aerosol is made up of several basic

components:

 An aerosol can
 The product
 The propellant
 A valve with dip tube
 An actuator
 A dust cap (not shown)

These all have to be assembled, and this is

achieved using automatic filling machinery which
can operate at speeds in excess of 400 cans per
minute.

For conventional aerosols the key steps in the filling process are:-

1. Start with an empty aerosol container. This

will be made of tinplate or aluminium, or perhaps
glass.

The capacity of the container will be greater than

that which is declared on the pack. (See section
on propellants for an explanation)

2. The product, usually in the form of a liquid, is

now added.

This contains all the active ingredients, except for

the propellant.

The volume of liquid is very carefully controlled

to ensure that it conforms with Weights &
Measures legislation.

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 3. The Aerosol valve is now fitted (crimped) to
the can. This is a very critical operation and the
crimping machinery has to be carefully set up to
ensure that the can / valve seal does not leak.

Where a 'small' actuator is to be used, this will be

fitted on to the valve before it is crimped onto the
can.

The propellant is now injected under pressure,

through the valve.
The propellant may be in the form of a liquified
gas, or a compressed gas.
If a liquified gas is used it will exist as both a
liquid, and vapour in the aerosol can head space.
The volume of liquid in the can will increase, as
shown in this example.
If a compressed gas is used, it will usually only
be in the head space, above the liquid in the can,
and there will be little or no increase in liquid
volume.
Again, the volume of liquid is very carefully
controlled to ensure that it conforms with
Weights & Measures legislation.

The aerosol is now in a pressurised state due to the addition of the propellant. The
cans are now immersed in a water bath at 50°C to check for any leaks. Any cans
that leak are rejected.

If a large, or special, actuator is required it is

fitted now. Where necessary, a dust cap is also
fitted.

Finally the can will be date / batch coded, and

shrink wrapped or boxed as required.

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Aerosol Valves

A typical Aerosol Valve is made up from several components:

 Valve Cup :- typically constructed from tinplated

steel, or aluminium.

 Outer Gasket :- this is the seal between the valve

cup and the aerosol can.

 Valve Housing :- contains the valve stem, spring

and inner gasket.

 Valve Stem :- in effect, the tap through which the

product flows.

 Inner Gasket :- covers the hole in the valve stem.

 Valve Spring :- usually stainless steel.

 Dip Tube :- allows the liquid to enter the valve.

 Actuator (not shown) :- fits onto the valve stem.

The valve is supplied already constructed, and the actuator may also be fitted. The
valve stem is fitted with a small hole, through which the product flows. Some valves may
contain two, or even four holes, depending on the nature of the product to be dispensed. The
holes are very small, with diameters as low as 0.30mm, and as high as 1.00mm. In the closed
position the hole(s) is covered by the inner gasket.
When the actuator is depressed it pushes the valve stem through the inner gasket, and the
hole(s) is uncovered, allowing liquid to pass through the valve and into the actuator.

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Aerosol Valve Operation

When the actuator is depressed, it

pushes the valve stem down against
the spring.

The valve stem moves down

through the inner gasket, and when
the hole is below the level of the
gasket liquid flows up through the
dip tube into the valve housing, then
through the valve stem to the
actuator.

The liquid will continue to flow due

to the internal pressure exerted by
the propellant, until the valve is
closed when the operator releases
the pressure on the actuator and the
valve stem is pushed upwards by
the spring.

The valve and actuator are important components in an aerosol, they both contain small
holes and channels (not all shown in these diagrams) which control the flow rate through the
valve, and the characteristics of the spray which emerges from the actuator.

The valve shown in the diagram is the most common type used. There are other types
available, but they are not discussed here.

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How An Aerosol Works

An aerosol contains two

essential components:-

 The product, in the

form of a liquid,
emulsion or
suspension.

 The propellant, which

can be a liquefied gas,
or even a compressed
gas.

Liquefied Propellants

Liquefied propellants are gases that exist as liquids under pressure. Because the
aerosol is under pressure the propellant exists mainly as a liquid, but it will also be in the
head space as a vapour. As the product is used up as the valve is opened, some of the liquid
propellant turns to vapour and keeps the head space full of vapour. In this way the pressure
in the can remains essentially constant and the spray performance is maintained throughout
the life of the aerosol. The propellant is an essential element in the formulation.

When the liquid propellant emerges from the actuator the droplets immediately
vaporise, and if the propellant is intimately mixed with droplets of the product, these will be
'blown' into smaller droplets. The ultimate size of the droplets can be controlled by adjusting
the amount of propellant, and its pressure, in the aerosol.
The design of the actuator is also important, as this will have a significant affect on the
droplet size due to the mechanical action on the liquid, as it passes through the small holes
and channels within the actuator.

If the product is a foam, or mousse, the liquefied propellant creates the bubbles in the
liquid when it emerges from the actuator, or one of the special foam applicator used
nowadays.

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Compressed Gas Propellants

Compressed gas propellants really only occupy the head space above the liquid in the
can. When the aerosol valve is opened the gas 'pushes' the liquid out of the can. The amount
of gas in the headspace remains the same but it has more space, and as a result the pressure
will drop during the life of the can.
Unlike liquefied propellants, there is no liquid to instantly vaporise when the product emerges
from the actuator, and only the product is sprayed out.

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Alternative Manufacturing Process To Produce Aerosol Canister

Most aerosol cans available at present are manufactured from either steel or
aluminium. The production method depends on the material. Aluminium cans are produced
by extrusion of a cylinder with a closed end, followed by multiple die forming operations to
reduce the diameter of the open end and create the rolled end on which the valve assembly is
fitted. Figure 1.01 shows diagrammatically the whole process while figure 1.02 shows a
series of cans at each stage of the neck reduction.

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 Steel (tinplate) cans are produced by a different process shown in figure 1.03. A
rectangular shape is cut from sheet, rolled into a cylinder and welded along the seam. The
round end pieces (pressed from another sheet of steel) are then fitted by a clinching process
known as double seaming.

Both types of can are supplied to the filler (cosmetics / pharmaceutical companies)
with the top open. Valve assemblies are supplied separately. The filler puts his product plus
propellant into the can and then fits a valve assembly which is fixed by clinching (figure
1.04). To ensure that the filling operation goes smoothly and to avoid leakage after filling
both the can and the valve assembly must be made to tightly controlled dimensions - typical
tolerances are ± 0.1 mm.

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 The process of forming the end shape from the cylinder is much more difficult in
steel than in aluminium, because the steel is harder, thinner and more liable to work
hardening than the aluminium material. This means that even more forming operations are
required to achieve any given reduction in diameter.

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Comment On The Customer Perspective

Environment

 Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Aerosol product containers are fully recyclable.

 Fresher Air. Aerosol-delivered disinfectants reduce the presence of germs on

surfaces and unpleasant odours in the air.

 Lowered Emissions. Automotive maintenance aerosol products are used to clean

brake systems, lowering emissions.

 Cleaner Water. New designs in the aerosol delivery of pesticides and fertilizers
originally developed for use at vineyards in California make it possible to apply the
insecticide directly to the plants, with little or no toxic chemicals settling onto the
ground, preserving the purity of the groundwater.

Health

Aerosol products are used to administer a number of medications and treatments, helping us
all breathe a little easier.

 Pulmonary Therapeutics. Asthma sufferers require a fine mist that can deeply
penetrate their bronchial area. Because of the versatility of aerosol delivery
technology, asthma inhalers are now able to deliver a mist at just the right particle size
and at the proper pressure.

 Fewer Germs. Via aerosol products, disinfectants (antimicrobials) are thoroughly

and easily applied throughout surfaces in hospitals, the home or at school, eliminating
bacteria and reducing the threat of disease.

 First Aid. Cuts and scrapes can be disinfected with a targeted spray that does not
require direct contact with the wound, decreasing discomfort and delivering a highly
effective amount of untainted disinfectant.

 Clearer Vision. By using contact lens solutions applied via an aerosol spray, contact
wearers no longer have to touch the tiny, delicate lenses.

 No More Bug Bites. Insect repellents are more thoroughly applied to cover the entire
body, protecting users from insect-borne diseases such as Malaria.

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  Breathe Easy. New aerosol-delivered room sprays safely remove airborne bacteria.

Value

The rising use of aerosol technology in common household products reduces waste and
increases the value of the purchases you make.

 Right On Target. Aerosol technology produces precise amounts of product to an

exact area, eliminating waste. You can aim and spray exactly where you want to, with
maximum effectiveness.

 No Mess. Aerosol products are also spill-proof.

 Stays Fresh. Aerosol products are hermetically sealed, meaning no air gets in and no
air gets out, like a vacuum, allowing cans to boast a long shelf life.

 Save Money. Aerosol Duct Sealing prevents leaks in a home’s ductwork, saving up to
30% of the home’s heating or cooling energy.

Convenience

In our “point and click” society, aerosol products are easy to use and quick to apply.

 Simple. No complicated pieces.

 One-Step. No mixing or spilling.

 Push-Button. Disinfectants and bug sprays can be applied with just the touch of a
button, no repeat pumping required.

 Possibilities. Some products we take for granted today would not be possible without
aerosol technology, such as shaving cream, and the aforementioned insecticides and
asthma inhalers.

 An Extra Hand. The use of aerosol technology helps you deliver insecticides or
disinfectants into hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.

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Safety

The design of modern aerosol products increases safety in everyday activity.

 Good Aim. Insecticides are directed precisely at the target, decreasing the amount of
pesticide needed to do the job.

 Child Resistant. Aerosol cans make it difficult for small children to access the
contents.

 No Stings. Long-range aerosol insecticides protect the user from being too close to
dangerous insects, preventing injury from wasp stings or spider bites.

 Self-Defense. Aerosol technology is used in personal self-defense products such as

pepper spray, pepper foam, and pepper foggers.

Say No To Drugs. Aerosol technology is being used to fight the war on drugs. Law
enforcement officers use a special aerosol spray to identify confiscated illicit substances, or to
detect the trace presence of any drug residue left on a surface, even human skin.

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References

http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/everyday-innovations/aerosol-can3.htm

http://www.matrametal.hu/en/aerosol_can/aerosol_can_production_process/

http://www.mpma.org.uk/pages/data/aerosolaluminium.pdf

http://www.southernaerosol.com/Power%20Point/Powerpoint%20pdfs/Laminated_Steel_Cans.pdf

http://www.southernaerosol.com/Power%20Point/Powerpoint%20pdfs/ALUMINUM_can_making_b
ag_on_valve.pdf

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6739333.html

http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?e=d-00000-00---off-0fnl2.2--00-0----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---4-------0-
1l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0--4----0-0-11-10-0utfZz-8-
00&a=d&cl=CL1.1&d=HASH014293f8d0af78c65ebf0c2a.6.2

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5301846.html

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6832704.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU_iSQa37aA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puZZGu1KUb0

http://inventors.about.com/od/astartinventions/a/aerosol.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerosol_spray

http://aero-
pack.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=9&Itemid=12

http://www.yorks.karoo.net/aerosol/link5.htm

http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/coat/mcan/pic-can.pdf

http://bestinpackaging.com/2012/08/12/developments-in-aerosol-technology/

http://www.emsd.gov.hk/emsd/e_download/pps/gas/guidance.pdf

http://www.answers.com/topic/aerosol-cans

http://www.cancentral.com/can-stats/how-cans-are-made

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