EHD Enhanced Heat Transfer in a Metallic and a Ceramic, Compact Heat Exchanger

Abstract

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) heat transfer enhancement has enormous potential to increase heat transfer rates while minimizing heat exchanger size. The aircraft industry, for one, could benefit using EHD heat transfer enhancement. Engineers can change their design approach and plan for minimal loads, resulting in heat exchangers more suitable to avionic geometries, allowing for additional payload space. During normal and operationally-induced increased heat loads, an EHD cooling system could automatically adjust the heat exchanger's capacity to handle these loads. The research goal is to prove a viable EHD heat exchanger concept while moving the technology towards commercial acceptance. Two concepts are investigated. One considers a common metallic material, while the other investigates ceramic construction. Both concepts show promise and advance the technology. The metallic EHD-enhanced heat exchanger yielded heat transfer rates nearly three fold compared to conventional heat exchangers, thus introducing a potential for three times reduction in the heat exchanger size.