INFLUENCE OF ELECTRODE GEOMETRY ON ION-DRAG PUMP STATIC PRESSURE

A research program aimed at developing an EHD pump for insulating liqu ids is in progress at the Electrical Engineering Department of the Uni versity of Genova. The initial part of this program considered a singl e stage ion drag pump and was aimed at the optimization of the relevan t electrodes (materials and geometry) and interelectrode gap to obtain a high hydrostatic pressure. The experimental data on three different technical grade liquid dielectrics (oils) are reported. They allow a comparison with two different theoretical pressure vs, voltage relatio ns, due to Stuetzer and to Pickard, for each tested liquid. The genera l validity of such relations is discussed and questioned. The latter p oint and the experimental data here reported illustrate that, at prese nt, it is necessary to introduce, early in the design process of this kind of EHD pumps, an experimental stage, specific to each liquid to b e used.