Design and evaluation of a needle-to-ring electrohydrodynamic fan experimental insights for airflow management

The increasing demand for compact, energy-efficient, and quiet cooling and ventilation systems has prompted the exploration of alternatives to conventional mechanical fans. Conventional high-speed fans, however, often suffer from excessive noise and limited adaptability to modern miniaturized devices. In this work, an electrohydrodynamic (EHD) fan is introduced as a potential solution. The device employs a bladeless configuration with two electrodes, a high-voltage emitting needle and a grounded ring, to generate airflow through corona discharge and ionization. A configurable experimental prototype was constructed to evaluate different operational setups. Particle Image Velocimetry was applied to characterize the induced velocity fields. The experimental results demonstrated the generation of directional and controllable airflow patterns, confirming both the feasibility and effectiveness of the EHD approach. The study focused on analyzing the flow generated in the inter-electrode gap and the underlying mechanisms of corona discharge. The results allowed the identification of appropriate configurations and the optimal operating conditions for the prototype. These findings demonstrate that EHD fans hold significant potential for thermal management in electronics and advanced ventilation systems, where low noise and compactness are essential.