A double-vortex EHD flow pattern generated by negative corona discharge in point-plane geometry

The paper presents the results of numerical simulation of the electrohydrodynamic flow in the point-plane configuration in air at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. A stationary corona discharge model considering three ionic species (electrons, negative and positive ions) includes four reactions in the ionization layer and doesn't use an assumption that the electric field on the corona electrode surface remains constant. The distributions of electric field and ionic species were used to calculate the electric body force and EHD flow. In addition to the well-known flow vortex in the drift zone, calculations predict the existence of an additional small vortex in the ionization layer. The effect of the voltage level on the flow pattern was also investigated.