Performance Enhancement of Two Stages EHD Gas Pump in a Rectangular Channel With Uneven Voltages

In this study, performance enhancement of a two stage electrohydrodynamic (EHD) gas pump in a rectangular channel has been evaluated by experimental measurement and numerical simulations. This study is implemented by a two stage EHD gas pump with uneven voltages for 8 emitting electrodes configuration to seek the relation between the number of stages and applied voltages. The EHD pump is evaluated for a combination of three different operating voltages (20 kV, 24 kV, and 28 kV) for further enhancement in its performance. To achieve the maximum enhancement, the emitting electrodes of the EHD gas pump are flush mounted on the channel walls so that the corona wind produced directly disturbs the boundary layer thickness and improves gas pumping. Velocities are measured at three cross-sections along the tube length and then integrated to obtain the volume flow rate. The numerical results enable vivid flow visualizations inside the channel, providing a great understanding of the development of the flow. The two stages EHD gas pump, which can be produced and sustained air flows with a maximum volume flow rate is considered more efficient when it is operated with uneven applied voltages. The results show that EHD technique has a great potential for many engineering applications.