Numerical study of electric plume in viscoelastic fluids within a blade-plate structure

Abstract

A two-dimensional numerical study on the behavior of electric plumes in viscoelastic fluids within a blade-plate structure is conducted herein. The Oldroyd-B constitutive equation is used to model the viscoelastic fluid. The effects of elasticity on the development processes of electric plumes and the heat transfer characteristics are mainly investigated. Moreover, the flow structure of the electric plume with self-similar characteristics which is similar to the thermal plume has been successfully characterized using the evolution of the charge distribution. Additionally, the results show that the elastic effect can promote electric plume development. The stronger the elastic effect is, the faster the electric plume rises. Furthermore, the influence of other dimensionless parameters on the electric plume is analyzed. When considering the impingement cooling effect of the electric plume, the elastic effect inhibits the heat transfer of the system after the plume fully develops.