Experimental and numerical study of fluid thermal homogenization in a spherical reservoir with EHD conduction pumping mechanism

Effect of electric conduction phenomenon on the mixing and thermal homogenization of a dielectric liquid in a spherical reservoir is experimentally and numerically studied. The working fluid is stored in a spherical reservoir with an initial non-uniform temperature distribution, and an electrode pair is placed by the central plane of the reservoir in order to make the resultant Coulomb force penetrate into the interior of the reservoir. The temperatures in three different locations of the spherical reservoir are monitored with probe thermocouples and an RTD. The net charge distribution, Coulomb force density, and the resultant velocity field at the steady-state condition are numerically presented. The numerically determined temperature distribution of the working fluid in two time steps are also provided to illustrate fluid mixing and thermal homogenization process.