The role of field-enhanced dissociation in electrohydrodynamic flow formation in a highly non-uniform electric field

The study aims to assess the role of the field-enhanced dissociation (or the Wien effect) in the electrohydrodynamic flow formation by comparing experimental data and the computer simulation results. The blade-plane electrode configuration was chosen for the investigation. The experiment used the particle image velocimetry and the dynamic current-voltage characteristic techniques. The conductivity of the working liquid-transformer oil-was varied by introducing a special admixture. The Wien effect yields velocity distributions and integral electric current characteristics that agree well with their experimental values and is therefore shown to be the predominant charge formation mechanism at higher values of conductivity.