Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) mixing of two miscible dielectric liquids

A novel method is presented for mixing of two miscible dielectric liquids using D.C. electric field where Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) forces are used to increase the interface instability and fluids circulations in an enclosure, resulting to rapid dispersion of phases. Experiments were provided for a range of electrical potential (from 0 to 30 kV) and a Digital CCD camera is used to record the experimental observations. Results are analyzed, processing the images based on color intensities. The experimental results show that employing electric field is effective in providing a force able to cause instability on liquid–liquid interface and generate internal flows, significantly increasing the efficiency of mixing for the liquid–liquid system. The current results assist to step forward in design of EHD mixers, which are noteworthy, since they contain no moving parts and are relatively easy to integrate in relevant systems during fabrication.

► A novel electrohydrodynamic mixer is presented.
► The efficiency of the mixers is studied using image processing.
► No moving part is used in the current mixer.
► The mixer can be used in a wide range of applications, from pharmaceutical to petroleum processes.