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Use of an Electric Field in an Electrostatic Liquid Film Radiator
Author(s) -
BANKOFF S. G.,
GRIFFING E. M.,
SCHLUTER R. A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2002.tb05892.x
Subject(s) - electric field , radiator (engine cooling) , mechanics , electrode , leakage (economics) , materials science , electrohydrodynamics , instability , leak , optics , physics , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , economics , macroeconomics
A bstract : Experimental and numerical work was performed to further the understanding of an electrostatic liquid film radiator (ELFR) that was originally proposed by Kim et al. 1 The ELFR design utilizes an electric field that exerts a normal force on the interface of a flowing film. The field lowers the pressure under the film in a space radiator and, thereby, prevents leakage through a puncture in the radiator wall. The flowing film is subject to the Taylor cone instability, whereby a cone of fluid forms underneath an electrode and sharpens until a jet of fluid is pulled toward the electrode and disintegrates into droplets. The critical potential for the instability is shown to be as much as an order of magnitude higher than that used in previous designs.2 Furthermore, leak stoppage experiments indicate that the critical field is adequate to stop leaks in a working radiator.