Heat transfer enhancement by a non-uniform electric field in microgravity conditions

The role of an electric field on dielectric liquids confined in a differentially heated cavity is considered in microgravity conditions. In the purpose of sustaining permanent thermally induced electrohydrodynamic flows, a new electrode arrangement is proposed, different from the typical electrode configurations usually investigated in the literature. The aim is to generate a non-uniform distribution of the imposed electric field and to gain benefit from the existing temperature gradient to generate angular momentum. Scaling analysis and a numerical study are developed in order to investigate dielectrophoretic-induced convective heat transfers. The results show that a significant enhancement of heat transfers is made possible from the use of a non-intense non-uniform electric field with no need for giving rise to unstable regimes.