Electrohydrodynamic instability and motion induced by injected space charge in insulating liquids

Abstract

A survey is given of different aspects of fluid motion induced by the Coulomb force exerted by the electric field on an injected space charge. The instability problem in highly symmetrical electrode configurations is considered with positive coupling between velocity and charge perturbations, linear and nonlinear criteria and the phenomena during the transient regime of unipolar injection. Then the features of electroconvection are described for both strong and weak injection and also in the case of coaxial cylinders. The last part deals with the liquid motion induced by injection from very restricted areas, as occurs in configurations of low symmetry with particular attention devoted to charge plumes.