EHD convection in dielectric micropolar fluid layer

• Convection in a layer of dielectric micropolar fluid is analyzed.
• Effect of micropolar viscosity and electric Rayleigh number on the onset of convection is investigated.
• Micropolar viscosity stabilizes the convection in stability and overstability motions.
• Prandtl number stabilizes the fluid layer in the case of overstability motion only.

The onset of instability in a layer of dielectric micropolar fluid under the simultaneous action of an AC electric field and temperature gradient has been investigated. The dispersion relation has been derived and various critical values of non-dimensional Rayleigh number in the fluid layer have been determined. The influence of micropolar viscosity and electric Rayleigh number on the onset of convection has been analyzed. Thermal Rayleigh number has been computed for various values of electric Rayleigh number for the onset of instability. The stabilizing and destabilizing effects of electric Rayleigh number, micropolar viscosity and Prandtl number have been discussed.