Confined Ionic Wind: Optimal Gap for Ducted Electrode Systems

This paper investigates the effect of spatial confinement on the electric and propulsive behavior of various quasi-two-dimensional electrode configurations. Ducted electrode systems have indeed recently been investigated in multistage configurations so as to improve electroaerodynamic (EAD) propulsive performance. In this contribution, the effect of dielectric confinement is specifically investigated for parallel emitter–collector systems having a face-to-face distance D while being confined between two parallel dielectric walls separated by a distance 2H. An optimal distance [Formula: see text] maximizing the EAD force for every voltage and for each electrode shape (cylindrical or drop-shaped collector) was found, showing better performance than in the corresponding unconfined configuration. Experimental measurements are complemented by numerical simulations that provide consistent results. A collapse of experimental measurements so as to predict the observed current for cylindrical collector configurations is suggested.