Mechanism of electrohydrodynamically induced flow in a wire-non-parallel plate electrode type gas pump

An experimental investigation and one-dimensional modeling have been conducted to study the mechanism of net flow direction induced by electrohydrodynamic (EHD) forces in a wire-non-parallel plate electrode type EHD gas pump. The experiments were conducted with various different locations of corona wire electrode for negative and positive applied voltage from 0 to 14 kV at atmospheric pressure and room temperature, where air was used as the working fluid. A one-dimensional cross-sectional averaged model based on mass and momentum conservation as well as Poisson electric field and ion transport equations was also developed. The results show that the net flow direction of electrohydrodynamically induced gas flow in a wire-non-parallel plate electrode system significantly depends on the location of the corona wire electrode relative to the grounded electrode position. The effect of conversion angle of non-parallel plate electrode on the net flow direction and pressure drop also was investigated and discussed in detail.     

Effect of emitting electrode number on the performance of EHD gas pump in a rectangular channel

Previous studies have shown that electric field in the form of corona wind can be used for gas pumping. It has also been shown that the maximal volume flow rate can be achieved by an optimal design and arrangement of electrode(s) involved. In this study, the number of emitting electrodes has been considered for its effects on the pump performance. To seek the relation between the electrode number and pump performance, an EHD gas pump with three configurations (4, 12, and 28 emitting electrodes) is critically evaluated by experimental measurements and numerical simulations.     

The effect of uni/bipolar charge injection on EHD conduction pumping

Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) conduction pumping takes advantage of Coulomb force generated by externally applied electric field and dissociated charges from electrolytes present in the working fluid. With the electric field maintained below the DC breakdown limit (i.e voltage required for charge injection), EHD conduction generated flow relies primarily upon the asymmetry of the electrodes where the flow is always generated toward the specific direction regardless of the electrodes polarity. The charge distribution induced by the process of dissociation may be altered by charge injection, potentially present at the electrodes' surfaces. The charge injection could occur, for example, because of the electrode surface roughness.This paper is a numerical investigation to quantify the impact of the charge injection on the performance of EHD conduction pump. The numerical domain comprises a coplanar asymmetric electrode pair embedded against a 2-D channel wall where the EHD conduction induced liquid flow is expected to be generated from the narrower electrode toward the wider electrode in the absence of charge injection. The electric field, net charge density, and electric body force distributions are presented in the absence and presence of charge injection. In addition, the electrically generated net flow is calculated for several operating conditions.     

Control of adiabatic two-phase dielectric fluid flow distribution with EHD conduction pumping

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) conduction pumping is associated with the heterocharge layers of finite thickness in the vicinity of the electrodes, which are based on the process of dissociation of the neutral electrolytic species and recombination of the generated ions. This paper presents the successful control of dielectric liquid/vapor flow distribution between two parallel branch lines utilizing an EHD conduction pump at a select mass flux level under adiabatic condition.     

Electrohydrodynamic flow in a wire-plate non-thermal plasma reactor measured by 3D PIV method

This work was aimed at measurements of the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) secondary flow in a non-thermal plasma reactor using three-dimensional particle image velocimetry (3D PIV) method. The wide-type non-thermal plasma reactor used in this work was an acrylic box with a wire discharge electrode and two plate collecting electrodes. The positive DC voltage was applied to the wire electrode through a 10 MΩ resistor. The collecting electrodes were grounded. The voltage applied to the wire electrode was 28 kV. Air flow seeded with a cigarette smoke was blown along the reactor duct with an average velocity of 0.6 m/s. The 3D PIV velocity fields measurements were carried out in four parallel planes stretched along the reactor duct, perpendicularly to the wire electrode and plate electrodes. The measured flow velocity fields illustrate complex nature of the EHD induced secondary flow in the non-thermal plasma reactor.     

Effective ozone generation utilizing a meshed-plate electrode in a dielectric-barrier discharge type ozone generator

A meshed-plate electrode, an alternative to the conventional plate electrode of the dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) ozone generator, has been studied in order to show the effectiveness of the meshed-plate electrode in improving ozone generation. A DBD ozone generator with mesh electrode is shown to have the following two advantages: First, such a device produces corona at its thin, sharp edges, thereby decreasing corona onset voltage for a given gap spacing. Second, by utilizing the air-voids of the meshed-plate electrode, the dense ozone produced in the small, high temperature gap region of the DBD can escape rapidly to the low temperature region. As a result, decomposition of the ozone can be reduced. In this study, surface discharge, meshed-plate electrode, and conventional DBD ozone generators are studied and compared experimentally. The maximum ozone generation concentration and ozone generation efficiency are obtained with the meshed-plate type electrode.     

Comparison of different electrode arrangements for gas decomposition efficiency using experimental method

The environmental pollution is a central issue in the present industrial societies. Within that the air pollution and the removal of hazardous components of flue and exhaust gases are very much important.In this paper the target is to decrease of the NO_x emission by means of a technology similar to that is used in the electrostatic precipitators. In most of the papers dealing with this technique cylindrical precipitator is used as a discharge chemical reactor, and fast rising electric discharges are applied for energizing the reactor. In the industry the over helming majority of the electrostatic precipitators are plate type one.In the cylindrical precipitator the discharge electrode is parallel with the gas flow, and the corona discharge filament is perpendicular to both of them. In the case of plate type industrial electrostatic precipitator the discharge electrodes are positioned vertically, and the flow of the flue gas is horizontal. Consequently, the discharge filaments are mainly perpendicular to both the flow and the discharge electrode.In cylindrical precipitator the decomposition of NO_x is done in one filament very soon, but there is no chance to modify the byproducts with a new pulse, because the energization is the same for the whole length of the discharge electrode.In the present paper a cylindrical precipitator, a plate type precipitator with horizontal electrode, and a plate type precipitator with vertical electrode were tested. The total length of the discharge electrodes of all of the precipitators was the same.The results of the NO_x decomposition were experimentally determined, and the differences between the precipitators were investigated. The cylindrical and the plate type precipitators with vertical electrodes had shown basically similar decomposition rate, while the plate type one with horizontal discharge electrode had proven inferior to the others.     

Effect of nonequilibrium near-electrode layers on the structure of EHD flows in the three-ions model of a dielectric liquid

An electrohydrodynamic (EHD) flow is a spontaneous flow of a liquid in the electrode gap under the action of a strong electric field. Most experimental data from an investigation of the velocity field of EHD flows were obtained in the wire-over-plane electrode configuration. For this system, the flow can be treated as a 2D flow. We report on the results of a computer simulation of the complete system of electrohydrodynamics equations in the three-ion model of a dielectric liquid. The structure of nonequilibrium dissociation–recombination layers and their effect on the structure of EHD flows have been analyzed based on the results of the computer simulation of EHD flows in liquids with different low-voltage conductivities for the wireover- plane electrode system.     

Electrohydrodynamic peculiarities of corona discharge interaction with a liquid surface

This study was devoted to experimental investigations of a corona discharge over the surface of the following liquids: tap and distilled water, alcohol, glycerin, and mixtures of alcohol with water and glycerin. One of the electrodes was placed over the liquid surface, while another one was submerged in it. Three modes of discharge over the liquid surface were obtained, namely an ordinary corona, an intermediate mode, and an arc discharge mode. In these modes, a funnel-shaped deepening, jets, and scattered jets directed toward the upper electrode were observed on the liquid surface under the action of the discharge. A qualitative mode of funnel formation on the liquid surface under the influence of an ionic wind induced by a corona discharge was presented. The formation of jets and scattered jets was related to the development of Tonks-Frenkel and Rayleigh instabilities.     

Effect of air flow on corona discharge in wire-to-plate electrostatic precipitator

This paper analyses corona discharge in ambient air with laboratory-scaled wire-to-plate electrostatic precipitator (WPESP). The electric field is behind the electro hydrodynamic (EHD) flow in air. Its measurements provide complementary results for the corona discharge study because the classical theory based on the current and voltage data is unsatisfactory. Taking into account the dynamic air flow velocity is perpendicular to the active wires, measurement method of the positive and negative DC corona current density and electric field, has been introduced. It has been shown also that the dynamic air flow velocity modifies the current density and the electric field distributions on the planes surfaces of the WPESP.     

Three-dimensional analysis of electrohydrodynamic flow in a spiked electrode-plate electrostatic precipitator

A three-dimensional numerical model has been created to evaluate the electrical and electrohydrodynamic characteristics of a single spiked wire-plate electrostatic precipitator. The hybrid Finite Element – Flux Corrected Transport numerical technique is used for solving the Poisson and current continuity equations to estimate the electric potential and ion charge density distributions in the precipitation channel. The fully three-dimensional turbulent airflow distribution is calculated using the commercial FLUENT software assuming a standard k–? turbulence model. A non-uniform corona discharge is assumed, as it is produced along the electrode in the form of a flat tape with some number of spikes. The EHD secondary flow pattern and its interaction with the main airflow in different planes along the precipitation channel are examined for different voltages applied to the corona spiked electrode. The numerical results are compared with experimental data published in the literature.     

Spreading of a viscous liquid film over the corrugated surface and the heat and mass transfer calculations

There are a lot of industrial applications of structured packing. Distillation columns are one of the examples where the liquid flows over the corrugated surface as a thin film to provide a good mass-transfer surface between the liquid and vapor phase. The purpose of the present paper is to study the hydrodynamics and the heat-mass transfer of the liquid film spreading down the corrugated surfaces when the corrugation amplitude is comparable with Nusselt’s film thickness (the amplitude corresponds to a small texture of the structured packing). As a result, a nonlinear type diffusion equation is obtained to describe the evolution of the film thickness profile. The nonlinear diffusion coefficient is obtained for three cases: a smooth inclined plate, a corrugated plate with large ribs, and an inclined corrugated plate with small ribs. The equations are solved numerically. As a result, it has been obtained that the small texture significantly increases the rate of the film thickness evolution in comparison with a smooth plate. To obtain the nonlinear diffusion coefficient in the case of a small texture, the hydrodynamics of the film flow over an inclined corrugated surface are studied. The viscosity, inertia, and surface tension forces are taken into account. The calculations were carried out on the basis of the Navier-Stokes equations. The influence of the microcorrugations on both the heat transfer from the wall and the mass transfer through the free surface was investigated.     

Choice of conditions of an electrical discharge for generating chemically active particles for the decomposition of impurities in water

An electrical discharge between a liquid surface and an electrode positioned above it is considered. A second electrode, which delivers the output from a high-voltage source, is located at the bottom of the vessel containing the liquid. The conditions that must be met by the electrical discharge in order to efficiently initiate reactions in the liquid phase are analyzed. Under these conditions the number of active particles generated by the discharge turns out to depend on the concentration in the liquid of the substance with which the active particles interact. It is shown that for a corona or spark discharge the reactions can occur in a liquid layer 10–20 mm thick and that for specific reactions there exists an optimum value of the electric field at which the energy expenditures on the initiation of the reaction will be minimum. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 58–63 (January 1999)     

Novel low voltage EHD spray nozzle for atomization of water in the cone jet mode

Due to the high surface tension and high conductivity, water is unsuitable for electrohydrodynamic (EHD) atomization using a DC electric field in air. The high local electric field, that is required to atomize water, is likely to generate corona discharge and consequently destabilize the atomization process. This study describes a novel low voltage EHD spray nozzle that can be used to atomize water and weak saline solutions in the stable cone jet mode. The properties of the atomization have been investigated together with the generated droplet size distribution. The nozzle operates at very low flow rates (0.5–4.0 μl/min). Due to the high dielectric constant of water and the low flow rate, the atomization takes place outside the applicability range of the scaling laws. The experimental results show that the droplet size is approximately constant when the flow rate is increased from 0.5 to 4.0 μl/min. The atomization of water was numerically simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The simulation results agree reasonably well with the experimental results with respect to the liquid cone shape and droplet size.     

EHD flow in a wide electrode spacing spike–plate electrostatic precipitator under positive polarity

In this work, results of two- and three-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements of the flow velocity fields in a wide spacing spike–plate electrostatic precipitator (ESP) under positive polarity are presented. A DC voltage of positive polarity (up to 28 kV) was applied to the spike electrode. The average gas flow velocity was 0.6 m/s. The PIV measurements were carried out in four planes perpendicular to the plate electrodes. Three parallel planes passed along the ESP while one plane passed across the ESP duct. The results show that electrohydrodynamic (EHD) secondary flow with relatively strong vortices exist in the ESP. The EHD secondary flow pattern depends on applied voltage and measuring plane position in respect to the spike tip. The strongest vortices occur in the plane passing through the tip of the upstream-directed spike. These relatively strong EHD vortices may hinder collection of the particles in the diameter range of 0.1–1 μm in the wide electrode spacing spike–plate ESPs.     

Sliding discharge in air at atmospheric pressure: electrical properties

Several studies have shown that a surface non-thermal plasma may be used as an electrofluidodynamic actuator for airflow control. For few years, we has been working on this subject, especially in the case of DC corona discharges and AC barrier discharges established at the wall of profiles. The present paper deals with a new type of surface plasma using a sliding discharge. This discharge, excited here by a negative AC voltage with a positive DC component, is created in a three-electrode geometry: one DC positive electrode and two negative AC electrodes at the same voltage. Then a barrier discharge is established between the positive electrode and the first negative one when a surface corona discharge or sliding discharge is generated between the positive electrode and the second negative one. In this preliminary study, the goal is to obtain a stable sliding discharge. Then the electrical properties of this discharge are observed and briefly discussed.     

Visualization of the local ionic wind profile in a DC corona discharge field by laser-induced phosphorescence emission

Experimental visualization for ionic wind motion originated from DC corona discharges in a needle-plate electrode system has been investigated. A vapor-phase biacetyl tracer with laser-induced phosphorescence emission is used for optically characterizing the ionic wind profile. The ionic wind blows the excited biacetyl molecules away in continuing the visible phosphorescence emission for a long radiative lifetime. The captured image with elapsing time from the excitation presents the shifting location of radiative tracer along the ionic wind direction. The experimental results show the ionic wind profile enhanced in the electric field direction corresponding to the corona discharge progress. Especially, the ionic wind near an initiating point of corona discharges is focused as an advantage of this optical technique. The ionic wind velocity along the electrode axis can be obtained at the location close enough to the corona discharge initiation point, and the velocity at 0.5 mm from the discharge point is figured out as 9.3 to 19.2 m/s under the condition of the EHD Reynolds number of 0.95×10³ to 2.1×10³.     

Flow characteristics of a single stage EHD gas pump in circular tube

Characteristics of flow induced by electrohydrodynamic (EHD) gas pumps in circular pipe have been experimentally evaluated. Two tube diameters (61.8 mm and 127.8 mm) and two electrode gap distances (25 mm and 50 mm) have been considered. The gas pumps use eight evenly spaced emitting electrodes which are flush mounted on the tube wall. As such, flows induced by the pumps have a profile with a higher velocity near the wall and a lower velocity at the tube center. Experiments are conducted using positive corona discharge with voltage varying from 17.5 kV to 30 kV. The results show that the volume flow rate increases with the applied voltage but approaches an asymptotic value before sparkover takes place. From the present results, several important implications for the practical engineering applications are presented.     

A DC corona discharge on a flat plate to induce air movement

This paper describes a DC surface corona discharge designed to modify the airflow around a flat plate. The electrode configuration consisted of two thin copper layers placed on each side of the plate's attack edge. Discharge optical measurements with a photomultiplier tube indicated that the light emitted by the plasma is pulsating at a frequency that increases with applied voltage. Moreover, with voltage higher than a threshold value, the electric discharge changes regime with brighter pulses. This discharge also induced an “ionic wind” whose velocity was measured with a pressure sensing probe (up to 1 m/s). Experiments with the particle image velocimetry system in a subsonic wind tunnel showed that this discharge can reduce the separated airflow on the flat plate for a flow of 14 m/s (Reynolds number of 187,000).     

Characteristics of a multielectrode corona discharge in the working media of periodic-pulse XeCl* and KrCl* lasers

Results are reported from an investigation of the electrical and optical characteristics of a multielectrode negative-polarity corona discharge in He/Xe(Kr)/CCl₄ mixtures, which are used as the working media in inert-gas chloride lasers operating in the periodic-pulse mode. The corona discharge is studied in a needle-grid electrode system which is approximately as long as the active medium in a laser. Such a corona discharge is of interest for use in electrical modules for blowing the working media through XeCl* and KrCl* lasers, the working media of which contain vapors of liquid hydrocarbons of the CCl₄ type. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 48–51 (May 1998)