Control of liquid flow distribution utilizing EHD conduction pumping mechanism

A maldistribution of liquid flow in parallel evaporators may cause local hot areas, leading to dry-out of branch lines and resulting in a nonoptimum performance. The electrohydrodynamic (EHD) conduction pumping shows its potential as an active control method of the flow distribution. The EHD conduction pumping is associated with the heterocharge layers of finite thickness in the vicinity of the electrodes, which are based on the process of dissociation of the neutral electrolytic species and recombination of the generated ions. This paper presents the successful control of liquid flow distribution between two branch lines utilizing an EHD conduction pump at total mass flux levels of 100 and 200 kg/m²·s.