How the E-cigarette Atomizer Works: Atomization Technology of E-cigarettes
April 3rd, 2009 | 
Author: 
Let’s try to explain the atomizer technology of the e-cigarette in plain English. The atomizer is the part of the e-cigarette that converts the e-liquid into water vapor. The atomizer is a small metal tube. Inside it, there’s a tiny c l uster of metal wires—the heating component, and a micro pump. Depending on the model of the e-cigarette, atomizers vary in shape and size.
The Process of Atomization During E-Smoking
When a smoker takes a drag from an e-cigarette, a sensor (located inside the main body of the e-cigarette) activates the circuit board (also inside the main body). The circuit board, powered by the battery, sends two electrical currents—one to the pump and one to the heating component of the atomizer. The pump forces the e-liquid through the atomizer where the heating component starts vaporizing the e-liquid.
To most people, this sounds confusing because the atomizer comes before the cartridge with e-liquid. And suction goes in opposite direction—from the atomizer to the cartridge. If you want to solve this mystery, and the mystery of scientific writing, check my source—the European patent office. Who knows, you might come up with your own atomizing device.
Atomizer is the Most Sensitive Part of an E-cigarette
Every new e-smoker, sooner or later, learns this. It’s a good idea to keep a supply of spare atomizers, because most atomizers have a short life; and if your only atomizer dies, you risk going back to conventional cigarettes.
PS: Updated June 17, 2009
The model for how the e-cigarette works comes from information I found at the website of the European Union Patent Office. Many e-cigarette enthusiasts claim there’s no micro pump and that it exists only in the patent to confuse future competition.
Posted in e-cigarette atoimzer general info, how the e-cigarette works, what is the e-cigarette | 
Tags: atomization, atomizer, e-cig, e-cigarette, e-cigarette atomizer, e-cigarette atomizer technology, e-cigarettes, e-cigarettes and atomization, e-cigerette, e-cigerettes, electronic cigar, electronic cigarette, how does the e-cig atomizer work
I took 2 apart, Its either just a heating eliment(3 peice e-cig);; Or an inductive heating coil.(2 peice)… THERE IS NO PUNP WHATSO EVER.
There is an operating indicator light, lithium battery, airflow censor, Computer chip containing a relay(built-in),—- The atomizer(Inductive or coil with cartrige.)
NO PUMP, and non of the other stuff, the idea was never built….
I reported the official document from the European patent office. I think the manufacturer and inventor have the right to modify their original invention and products. Thanks for sharing your experience with our readers.
Isn’t the fact that the atomizer has to be cleaned of residue indicative that we are taking this same residue into our lungs, and therefore isn’t really a healthy alternative? I realize that the e-liquid is not laden with the same tars and chemicals of a normal cigarette, but if that same stuff that accumulates on the atomizer is being painted on my lungs, then geez……
The residue that comes out after cleaning is in fact thicker, dehydrated e-liquid. No-one really knows the long-term effects of e-smoking. I’d say we’ll know for sure if someone started with e-cigarettes and lived long enough to be tested:-)
Other than that, any food in certain quantities can be poisonous for the body, even water.
Saying that any food (or substance for that matter) in certain quantities can be poisonous is true. However, including water in there is fairly misleading.
While true that water can kill you, you basically have to drink a couple gallons of it really fast and drown your blood’s ability to carry oxygen by diluting it and causing hemolysis of your red blood cells.
People have done it (mostly people either on drugs, or famously a few trying to pass drug tests), so its certainly possible. Ingesting water in “certain quantities” would have been better said, “in vast quantities”.
As for E-cigs, you’re talking about potentially 3 main chemical components: Water, nicotine (if you so choose), and whatever residual chemicals may be released from the polyfill if/when the atomizer causes it to burn/react. I do not know about the composition of the polyfill so I cannot comment. There will be any number of trace chemicals in the juice–but most of these should not be above levels you encounter similar chemicals in daily life anyway. As someone has mentioned already the “resin” is primarily made up of dehydrated “juice”. Your lungs are a mucous membrane and have systems for cleaning out substances like this.
Where we oft run into trouble with cigarettes is with tar, our lungs are not so efficient at cleaning out the other 5000 chemicals that come with cigs, or the very thick tar which is propagated by them. E-cigs ARE still a health risk, nicotene is a poison in high doses, and we simply cannot qualify what the long term effects of nicotine ingestion (by itself) might be.
Nicotine also has the ability to paralyze the cilia in our lungs (which help to pull out particulate matter), which will reduce the effectiveness of our “cleaning system” and can predispose for things like UR infenctions and pneumonia.
All that said, e-cigs are several powers of 10 safer than cigarettes. This can simply be said by realizing that they contain 5000 less chemicals than real cigarettes and no chemicals in addition to what can already be found in real cigs.
Most atomizers seem to work the same way: the e-liquid is drawn into the atomizer due to gravity and the steel wool bridge absorbing the liquid and channeling it to the heating element. I don’t believe there’s ever been a commercial e-cigarette product made that has a pump in it. That would drain the battery much too quickly and would be just one more thing that could go wrong with the atomizer.
The reason the liquid isn’t simply drawn into the user’s mouth is pretty simple: air goes in through the holes at the bottom of the atomizer, is drawn past the heating element where it picks up the vaporized liquid, and then goes AROUND the part of the cartridge containing the liquid. Then it goes into your mouth through the hole in the mouthpiece. There’s a separate passage in the cartridge for air that isn’t connected to the e-liquid reservoir. The liquid doesn’t usually flow up the air passage unless there’s too much of it, because it gets soaked into the steel wool and other materials in the atomizer.
I realize this discussion has been dead for quite a while now, but I happened to stumble across it and it pays to have all misinformation on e-cigarettes corrected for the benefit of those new to the idea.
The residue is from the heating coil when the liquid hits it and u stop berating in it slowly cacks onto it because it burns itself on it like a grill when u cook
Well the atomizer problem has been solved. Cartridges have an atomizer built in. So, when you are out of juice you not only throw away the cartridge but you are also throwing away the atomizer. Your new cartridge comes with a new atomizer every time!
Just wondering though..the gunk in the atomizer could be “uncooked” eliquid in part and the lungs do a pretty good job of “cleaning” themselves naturally.
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Better than the real cigarettes, that’s for sure. If you’re afraid don’t vapour or smoke at all.
Smoking is a terrible habit, I should know, I have been smoking for 40 years. I got a hold of one of those electronic cigarettes about a year ago and haven’t picked up a real cigarette since. If you are a smoker, you should give them a try, just do a search on the internet under ecigs. You won’t be sorry.
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its not that a pump is not needed its that the human mouth has an incredibly powerful ability to draw air. the same way that a garden hose can power a pool sweeper, your action of drawing air through the device sucks liquid to the heating element. thus eliminating the need for a pump. the original device did have a pump, it was a large box with a flip up tube attached. you pressed a button to activate the vapor pump and element, while inhaling. when finished drawing vapor you released… kind of like a bowl where you hold the lighter to the tobacco while inhaling, and let it go out when finished. these devices were around in the 60′s but never caught on due to their size and horrible efficiency. it took miniaturizing circuits, and airflow sensors to really make the vaping community mainstream.
Firstly, I think this a great and informative site. The information here on this particular thread is a little outdated as there is a new atomizer which never comes into contact with e-liquid, the new design means that the heating element of the atomizer is kept separate from the e-liquid thus eliminating the chance of a chemical reaction, which makes for a purer, cleaner, safer, vape. I write my own gazette, and I try to keep it as updated as possible. I blown away by this new atomizer and you can certainly taste the difference.
Linda
Article needs a bit of an update (to account for the changes to the PV world) and some serious adjusting.
A) Not many, if any, atomizers use a pump. They are passive, using wadding (in a cartomizer) or a wick (in rebuildable atomizers {RBA}, Clearomizers). Even dripping/cartridge atomizers don’t utilize anything more than gravity and capillary action.
B) There isn’t much need for a source. Plus that one is talking about a completely different device from what current PVs are. It seems like a much more complicated device.
C) A distinction between automatic batteries (as described in the article) and manual (requiring a button push) should be noted.
Just want to make it as easy for new people finding this as possible.
I saw in a how to video someone dry burning e-cigs. Smoke or vapor was coming started to come out after a while and he said it was the gunk and residue burning. I began to wonder if after draggin on my e cig for a while some of that old gunk is plummeting into my lungs. Any thoughts? here’s the vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsXkEhNufMs