Enhancement in Forced Convection by a Two Stage Corona Wind Generator
Abstract In this study, forced convection enhancement in a square channel by a two stage electrohydrodynamic (EHD) gas pump is numerically analyzed. This study is implemented for a two stage EHD gas pump with three emitting electrode configurations: 8, 24, and 56 respectively to seek their effectiveness in the enhancement of forced convection and pumping power requirement. The EHD gas pump is evaluated for a wide range of operating voltages starting from 20 kV up to 28 kV. The influence of electric field on the flow and temperature fields is also examined for a wide range of Reynolds numbers. The three-dimensional governing equations for the flow and temperature fields are solved using the finite volume method. The Reynolds numbers (Re) considered in this study varies in a range between 100 and 2000. At Re = 100, a maximum increase of 42% in the average Nusselt number is achieved with an applied voltage of 28 kV. The overall effectiveness of the EHD gas pump in heat transfer enhancement is evaluated by the thermal hydraulic performance parameter, (Nu/Nu0)/(f/f0), which is always greater than unity. These results disclose that EHD technique has a great potential for many engineering applications, particularly for thermal management.