EHD-Enhanced Drying with Needle Electrode

The enhancement of drying rate by corona discharge from a needle electrode has been experimentally evaluated in this study. The electrode produces corona wind, which resembles a round jet, impinges and removes moisture from the surface. Corona discharges with positive and negative polarities have been considered. The samples used are 3 and 6 mm glass beads saturated with water. Two sets of experiments have been conducted (one with the cross-flow of air and the other one without), at 1 kV increment from the corona threshold voltage until the occurrence of sparkover. For each case, a companion experiment was carried out simultaneously under the same ambient conditions but without the application of electric field. The result of which is used as a reference in the evaluation of drying enhancement using electric field. Each experiment lasted for at least 5 h. The weight loss of water as well as the ambient temperature and humidity were measured. The results are compared with those obtained with a wire electrode to determine the optimal configuration to be used in an EHD drying system.