Effectiveness of Copper as an Electrode Material on Enhancement of Electrohydrodynamic Drying Process

Abstract

In the present investigation, enhancement in the drying rate by an AC corona discharge from a single Copper (Cu) needle electrode was evaluated experimentally. The electrode generates corona wind (ionic wind), which impinges on, and eliminates moisture from the surface of a moist test sample. The corona discharge was generated by connecting the needle electrode to an alternating current (AC) power source. The drying sample consisted of 5mm soda lime glass beads saturated with water. Experiments were performed in the presence and absence of airflow over the drying samples, which were subjected to the corona discharge. The discharge was regulated, and experiments were conducted with 1 kV increments from the corona inception voltage till the sparkover occurred. Each experiment lasted for at least two hours and fifty minutes. The weight loss in the sample containers and the ambient temperature and relative humidity were all monitored. In each instance, a companion experiment was conducted concurrently. The results show that Copper (Cu) as an electrode material effectively influences the enhancement of an EHD drying process. With low-velocity cross-flow ( ) assisting in the drying enhancement.