Simulation study on the influence of an electric field on water evaporation

To examine the influence of an electric field on water evaporation, we carried out a water evaporation simulation in the absence and presence of homogeneous electric fields in three directions. It was found that the electric field in the direction perpendicular to the water surface enhances the water evaporation, while the electric field in the direction parallel to the water surface impedes the water evaporation. This finding qualitatively agrees with the observations in the electrospinning experiment that indicated that the application of a voltage to the tip of the syringe needle enhances the evaporation of the water droplet around the tip. We also found that the electric field in the direction from the outside of the water solution to the inside more significantly enhances the water evaporation than in the opposite direction.