The possible use of an ionic pump in order to increase the air flux in
a convector heater is examined. The functioning of such an electro-ae
rodynamic heater is modeled. The distribution of space charge injected
by a set of point electrodes and the influence of the temperature of
the heating resistor on back emission and breakdown voltage are more p
articularly studied. The results on a test cell and on a prototype agr
ee with the prediction of a mean flow velocity varying as the square r
oot of the product Id of the current I and the gap d of the pumping de
vice. The problems met in practical application are shortly discussed.