Effect of Applied Voltage on Electrohydrodynamic Behaviors in a Needle-to-Ring Actuator

Three-dimensional numerical studies are closer to real scenarios and provide a more valuable reference for the development of electrohydrodynamic (EHD) technology. This paper presents the results of computational simulations of a cylindrical EHD cascade actuator with needle-to-ring electrodes. The simulations account for the combined effects of injection, field-enhanced dissociation, and surface charge accumulation. A complete set of EHD equations is calculated according to a commercial software package for the finite element method. The study systematically compares the influence of applied voltages at 20 kV and 30 kV on charge and flow dynamics. The findings indicate that as the applied voltage increases, there is a notable transition in the fluid flow behavior from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional mode.