NUMERICAL STUDY OF ELECTROCONVECTION IN A DIELECTRIC LAYER BETWEEN TWO COFOCAL ELLIPTICAL CYLINDERS SUBJECTED TO UNIPOLAR INJECTION

The problem of electroconvection in an annular space between two elliptical concentric cylinders fi lled with a dielectric liquid and subjected to internal unipolar injection is considered. A fi nite volume method is used to solve the governing equations, including the Navier–Stokes ones and a simplifi ed set of the Maxwell equations. For the fi rst time the whole set of these coupled equations is solved, using the elliptical-cylindrical coordinates. We fi rst validate numerical simulation in this fi eld by comparing the results obtained with those available in the literature. The numerical solution of the electroconvection problem is then followed by a detailed analysis of the fl ow structure and electric charge distribution. It is shown that the multicellular convective pattern is observed. It is noticed that unipolar charge injection from the internal electrode signifi cantly changes the topology of the fl uid fl ow. Finally, the infl uence of various system parameters, such as the injection level and electric Rayleigh number, is also investigated.
   
Author:  M. I. Elkhazen, W. Hassen, R. Gannoun, A. K. Hussein, and M. N. Borjini
Keywords:  electroconvection, elliptical cylinders, dielectric liquid, numerical simulation
Page:  1318