Experimental Study of Electrohydrodynamic Pumping Feasibility In Microgravity Condition through Conduction Phenomenon

Abstract

In the microgravity condition, circulation of liquids with low level of power consumption is extremely attractive. Electrohydrodynamic pumps generate significant pressure heads with low level of power consumption, simple design, low vibration, and acoustic noise. Moreover, the appropriate electrohydrodynamic pressure heads can be achieved easily with variation of applied voltage. Among the electrohydrodynamic pumping methods, the EHD-conduction pumping has a special feature. Owing to the absence of the ion injection effects, the physical and electrical properties of the working fluid remain constant. Pumping through conduction phenomenon is experimentally investigated. An EHD-pump in a horizontal axisymmetric configuration is tested. The working fluids are selected based on their viscosity difference. These two working fluid, Shell Diala AX and 10-GBN Nynas, have the same conductivity approximately. The generated head in the absence of the gravity is obtained. Velocities up to the 0.4 m/s with 0.9 w can be achieved. In the microgravity condition, the viscous forces are balanced just with Electric forces generated by EHD-Pumps. The EHD-conduction pumps promise good chance to use as a circulation pump in cooling or lubricating systems in microgravity condition with low power consumption and without degradation of working fluid.