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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1971

Conversion of electrostatic plasma waves into electromagnetic waves - Numerical calculation of the dispersion relation for all wavelengths.

The dispersion curves have been computed for a wide range of wavelengths from electromagnetic waves to electrostatic waves in a magnetoactive warm plasma with a Maxwellian velocity distribution function. The computation was carried out mainly for the perpendicular propagation mode. The upper hybrid resonance is the connection point of the electrostatic waves and the electromagnetic waves. The electrostatic waves not associated with the upper hybrid resonance are subjected to electron cyclotron damping when the wavelength becomes long. Oblique propagation is allowed for the electrostatic waves in a frequency range from the plasma frequency to the upper hybrid resonance frequency in the long-wavelength region where Landau damping can be neglected and where the electrostatic mode smoothly connects to the electromagnetic X-mode. In a slightly inhomogeneous plasma, the Bernstein-mode electrostatic wave can escape by being converted into the O-mode electromagnetic wave; two reflections take place during this escape process.

Oya, H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Analysis and interpretation of the shocklike electrostatic noise observed during the AMPTE solar wind lithium releases

During the AMPTE (Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers) solar wind lithium release on September 11, and again on September 20, 1984, an intense burst of electrostatic noise was observed near the upstream edge of the ion cloud. Comparisons with measurements by the IMP-6 and ISEE-1 spacecraft show that the spectrum and overall features of this noise are very similar to electrostatic noise observed at the Earth's bow shock. A stability analysis using realistic parameters shows that the electrostatic noise can be accounted for by an ion beam-plasma instability caused by the solar wind proton beam streaming through the nearly stationary lithium cloud. The growth rate of this instability is largest when the ion density and solar wind proton density are similar, which explains why the noise only occurs near the outer edge of the ion cloud. The similarity to the noise in the Earth's bow shock suggest that a shock may exist in the solar wind plasma flow upstream of the ion cloud. If the noise is associated with a shock, then it must be an electrostatic shock, since the ion cyclotron radii are too small for the existence of a MHD shock. Since the electrostatic instability occurs at phase velocities near the lithium thermal velocity, the electrostatic turbulence may play a role in heating the lithium ions and transferring momentum from the solar wind to the ion cloud.

Gurnett, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Electrostatic Screen for Transport of Martian and Lunar Regolith

The Martian and Lunar Regolith contain fine particulate including those in the size range from 0.5 to 200 micron [1-2]. Martian dust can be transported and deposited by Aeolian processes, including "Dust Devils". Due to the ultra high vacuum (10e-12 Torr), transport of dust on the Moon is solely a result of collision/ballistic motion. Dust obscuration of solar cells is one of the primary factors limiting the duration of Martian missions, including the Mars Exploration Rovers. Dust contamination in vacuum seals is one of the primarily factors that limited lunar excursions during the Apollo missions. Controlled transportation of dust on Mars and the Moon is important for many reasons, including both contamination mitigation and in situ resource utilization (ISRU). Since both the monopole and dipole electrostatic moments result in non-trivial forces on particles in an electrostatic field, dust particles, whether charged or not, can be transported by electrostatic fields. In the electrostatic screen, alternating waveforms of voltage applied to patterned grids of electrodes will transport dust. The authors will show that the canonical methods for transporting dust via electrostatic screen can be readily applied to transport of Martian and Lunar regolith. Experiments have been performed in ambient, low humidity, Martian, and Lunar conditions. Screen parameters have been examined for application to each regolith, such as grid spacing, trace width, grid voltage, pulse pattern, pulse frequency, and coating type. The authors have also developed an electrostatic screen based on optically transparent conductors that can be placed over solar arrays, windows, visors, lenses, etc.

Immer, C.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Active Electrostatic flight for airless bodies

The environment near the surface of asteroids, comets, and the Moon is electrically charged due to the Sun’s photoelectric bombardment and lofting dust, which follows the Sun illumination as the body spins. Charged dust is ever present, in the form of dusty plasma, even at high altitudes, following the solar illumination. If a body with high surface resistivity is exposed to the solar wind and solar radiation, sunexposed areas and shadowed areas become differentially charged. The E-Glider (Electrostatic Glider) is an enabling capability for operation at airless bodies, a solution applicable to many types of in-situ missions, which leverages the natural environment. This platform directly addresses the "All Access Mobility" Challenge, one of the NASA’s Space Technology Grand Challenges. Exploration of comets, asteroids, moons and planetary bodies is limited by mobility on those bodies. The lack of an atmosphere, the low gravity levels, and the unknown surface soil properties pose a very difficult challenge for all forms of know locomotion at airless bodies. This EGlider levitates by extending thin, charged, appendages, which are also articulated to direct the levitation force in the most convenient direction for propulsion and maneuvering. The charging is maintained through continuous charge emission. It lands, wherever it is most convenient, by retracting the appendages or by firing a cold-gas thruster, or by deploying an anchor. Preliminary calculations indicate that a 1 kg mass can be electrostatically levitated in a microgravity field with a 2 m diameter electrostatically inflated ribbon structure at 19kV, hence the need for a “balloon-like” system. The wings could be made of very thin Au-coated Mylar film, which are electrostatically inflated, and would provide the lift due to electrostatic repulsion with the naturally charged asteroid surface. Since the E-glider would follow the Sun’s illumination, the solar panels on the vehicle would constantly charge a battery. Further articulation at the root of the lateral strands or inflated membrane wings, would generate a component of lift depending on the articulation angle, hence a selective maneuvering capability which, to all effects, would lead to electrostatic (rather than aerodynamic) flight.

Schaub, Hanspeter↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electrostatic Barriers to Nanoparticle Accessibility of a Porous Matrix

Translocation from one cavity to another through a narrow constriction (i.e., a “hole”) represents the fundamental elementary process underlying hindered mass transport of nanoparticles and macromolecules within many natural and synthetic porous materials, including intracellular environments. This process is complex and may be influenced by long-range (e.g., electrostatic) particle–wall interactions, transient adsorption/desorption, surface diffusion, and hydrodynamic effects. In this study, we used a three-dimensional (3D) tracking method to explicitly visualize the process of nanoparticle diffusion within periodic porous nanostructures, where electrostatic interactions were mediated via ionic strength. The effects of electrostatic interactions on nanoparticle transport were surprisingly large. For example, an increase in the Debye length of only a few nanometers (in a material with a hole diameter of ~100 nm) increased the mean cavity escape time 3-fold. A combination of computational and experimental analyses indicated that this hindered cavity escape was due to an electrostatic energy barrier in the region of the hole, which was quantitatively explained using DLVO theory. These findings explicitly demonstrate that the cavity escape process was barrier-limited and dominated by electrostatic effects.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2018

Impact of the Periphery Electrostatic Field on the Photovoltaic Effect in Metal–Semiconductor Contacts with a Schottky Barrier

Studies of an electrostatic system of flat metal–semiconductor contacts with a Schottky barrier reveals a nontrivial dependence of their current and voltage photosensitivity (the photovoltaic effect) on the contact shape. The specific features of using the photovoltaic effect in such contacts are determined, to a great extent, by the built-in periphery electrostatic field with an absolute value that depends on the contact perimeter and area. Thus, to increase the efficiency of light-to-electrical energy conversion by Schottky contacts, it is necessary to use optimization techniques based on the concepts of the proposed physical model of an electrostatic system of flat Schottky contacts with regard to periphery electrostatic fields. The “hot electron resonance” effect, which enhances the external quantum efficiency of photodiodes with a Schottky barrier, can be explained by enhancement of the field emission of electrons by the periphery electrostatic field.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRS2018

E-Glider: Active Electrostatic Flight for Airless Body Exploration

The environment near the surface of asteroids, comets, and the Moon is electrically charged due to the Sun's photoelectric bombardment and lofting dust, which follows the Sun illumination as the body spins. Chargeddust is ever present, in the form of dusty plasma, even at high altitudes, following the solar illumination. If abody with high surface resistivity is exposed to the solar wind and solar radiation, sun-exposed areas andshadowed areas become differentially charged. The E-Glider (Electrostatic Glider) is an enabling capability foroperation at airless bodies, a solution applicable to many types of in-situ mission concepts, which leverages thenatural environment. With the E-Glider, we transform a problem (spacecraft charging) into an enablingtechnology, i.e. a new form of mobility in microgravity environments using new mechanisms and maneuveringbased on the interaction of the vehicle with the environment. Consequently, the vision of the E-Glider is toenable global scale airless body exploration with a vehicle that uses, instead of avoids, the local electricallycharged environment. This platform directly addresses the "All Access Mobility" Challenge, one of the NASA'sSpace Technology Grand Challenges. Exploration of comets, asteroids, moons and planetary bodies is limitedby mobility on those bodies. The lack of an atmosphere, the low gravity levels, and the unknown surface soilproperties pose a very difficult challenge for all forms of know locomotion at airless bodies. This E-Gliderlevitates by extending thin, charged, appendages, which are also articulated to direct the levitation force in themost convenient direction for propulsion and maneuvering. The charging is maintained through continuouscharge emission. It lands, wherever it is most convenient, by retracting the appendages or by firing a cold-gasthruster, or by deploying an anchor. The wings could be made of very thin Au-coated Mylar film, which areelectrostatically inflated, and would provide the lift due to electrostatic repulsion with the naturally chargedasteroid surface. Since the E-glider would follow the Sun's illumination, the solar panels on the vehicle wouldconstantly charge a battery. Further articulation at the root of the lateral strands or inflated membrane wings,would generate a component of lift depending on the articulation angle, hence a selective maneuveringcapability which, to all effects, would lead to electrostatic (rather than aerodynamic) flight. Preliminarycalculations indicate that a 1 kg mass can be electrostatically levitated in a microgravity field with a 2 mdiameter electrostatically inflated ribbon structure at 19kV, hence the need for a "balloon-like" system. Due tothe high density and the photo-electron sheath and associate small Debye length, significant power is requiredto levitate even a few kilograms. The power required is in the kilo-Watt range to maintain a constant chargelevel.

Electrostatic Flight↗
DOE OSTI2024

Colloidal Stability of PFSA-Ionomer Dispersions. Part I. Single-Ion Electrostatic Interaction Potential Energies

Charged colloidal particles neutralized by a single counterion are increasingly important for many emerging technologies. Attention here is paid specifically to hydrogen fuel cells and water electrolyzers whose catalyst layers are manufactured from a perfluorinated sulfonic acid polymer (PFSA) suspended in aqueous/alcohol solutions. Partially dissolved PFSA aggregates, known collectively as ionomers, are stabilized by the electrostatic repulsion of overlapping diffuse double layers consisting of only protons dissociated from the suspended polymer. We denote such double layers containing no added electrolyte as "single ion". Size-distribution predictions build upon interparticle interaction potential energies from the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) formalism. However, when only a single counterion is present in solution, classical DLVO electrostatic potential energies no longer apply. Accordingly, here a new formulation is proposed to describe how single-counterion diffuse double layers interact in colloidal suspensions. Part II (Srivastav, H.; Weber, A. Z.; Radke, C. J. Langmuir 2024 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03904) of this contribution uses the new single-ion interaction energies to predict aggregated size distributions and the resulting solution pH of PFSA in mixtures of n-propanol and water. A single-counterion diffuse layer cannot reach an electrically neutral concentration far from a charged particle. Consequently, nowhere in the dispersion is the solvent neutral, and the diffuse layer emanating from one particle always experiences the presence of other particles (or walls). Thus, in addition to an intervening interparticle repulsive force, a backside osmotic force is always present. With this new construction, we establish that single-ion repulsive pair interaction energies are much larger than those of classical DLVO electrostatic potentials. The proposed single-ion electrostatic pair potential governs dramatic new dispersion behavior, including dispersions that are stable at a low volume fraction but unstable at a high volume fraction and finite volume-fraction dispersions that are unstable with fine particles but stable with coarse particles. Finally, the proposed single-counterion electrostatic pair potential provides a general expression for predicting colloidal behavior for any charged particle dispersion in ionizing solvents with no added electrolyte.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Colloidal Dispersions of Sterically and Electrostatically Stabilized PbS Quantum Dots: Structure Factors, Second Virial Coefficients, and Film-Forming Properties

Electrostatically stabilized nanocrystals (NCs) and, in particular, quantum dots (QDs) hold promise for forming strongly coupled superlattices due to their compact and electronically conductive surface ligands. However, studies of the colloidal dispersion and interparticle interactions of electrostatically stabilized sub-10 nm NCs have been limited, hindering the optimization of their colloidal stability and self-assembly. In this study, we employed small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments to investigate the interparticle interactions and arrangement of PbS QDs with thiostannate ligands (PbS-Sn2S64-) in polar solvents. The study reveals significant deviations from the ideal solution behavior in electrostatically stabilized QD dispersions. Our results demonstrate that PbS-Sn2S64- QDs exhibit long-range interactions within the solvent, in contrast to the short-range steric repulsion characteristic of PbS QDs with oleate ligands (PbS-OA). Introducing highly charged multivalent electrolytes screens electrostatic interactions between charged QDs, reducing the length scale of the repulsive interactions. Furthermore, we calculated the second virial (B2) coefficients from SAXS data, providing insights into how surface chemistry, solvent, and size influence pair potentials. Finally, we explore the influence of long-range interparticle interactions of PbS-Sn2S64- QDs on the morphology of films produced by drying or spin-coating colloidal solutions. The long-range repulsive term of PbS-Sn2S64- QDs promotes the formation of amorphous films, and screening the electrostatic repulsion by the addition of an electrolyte enables the formation of crystalline domains. These findings highlight the critical role of NC-NC interactions in tailoring the properties of functional materials made of colloidal NCs.

SAXS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Diffusioosmotic flow reversals due to ion–ion electrostatic correlations

Existing theories of diffusioosmosis have neglected ion–ion electrostatic correlations, which are important in concentrated electrolytes. Here, we develop a mathematical model to numerically compute the diffusioosmotic mobilities of binary symmetric electrolytes across low to high concentrations in a charged parallel-plate channel. We use the modified Poisson equation to model the ion–ion electrostatic correlations and the Bikerman model to account for the finite size of ions. We report two key findings. First, ion–ion electrostatic correlations can cause a unique reversal in the direction of diffusioosmosis. Such a reversal is not captured by existing theories, occurs at ≈ 0.4 M for a monovalent electrolyte, and at a much lower concentration of ≈ 0.003 M for a divalent electrolyte in a channel with the same surface charge. This highlights that diffusioosmosis of a concentrated electrolyte can be qualitatively different from that of a dilute electrolyte, not just in its magnitude but also its direction. Second, we predict a separate diffusioosmotic flow reversal, which is not due to electrostatic correlations but the competition between the underlying chemiosmosis and electroosmosis. This reversal can be achieved by varying the magnitude of the channel surface charge without changing its sign. However, electrostatic correlations can radically change how this flow reversal depends on the channel surface charge and ion diffusivity between a concentrated and a dilute electrolyte. Furthermore, the mathematical model developed here can be used to design diffusioosmosis of dilute and concentrated electrolytes, which is central to applications such as species mixing and separation, enhanced oil recovery, and reverse electrodialysis.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2013

An improved fragment-based quantum mechanical method for calculation of electrostatic solvation energy of proteins

An efficient approach that combines the electrostatically embedded generalized molecular fractionation with conjugate caps (EE-GMFCC) method with conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM), termed EE-GMFCC-CPCM, is developed for ab initio calculation of the electrostatic solvation energy of proteins. Compared with the previous MFCC-CPCM study [Y. Mei, C. G. Ji, and J. Z. H. Zhang, J. Chem. Phys. 125, 094906 (2006)], quantum mechanical (QM) calculation is applied to deal with short-range non-neighboring interactions replacing the classical treatment. Numerical studies are carried out for proteins up to 3837 atoms at the HF/6-31G* level. As compared to standard full system CPCM calculations, EE-GMFCC-CPCM shows clear improvement over the MFCC-CPCM method for both the total electrostatic solvation energy and its components (the polarized solute-solvent reaction field energy and wavefunction distortion energy of the solute). For large proteins with 1000–4000 atoms, where the standard full system ab initio CPCM calculations are not affordable, the EE-GMFCC-CPCM gives larger relative wavefunction distortion energies and weaker relative electrostatic solvation energies for proteins, as compared to the corresponding energies calculated by the Divide-and-Conquer Poisson-Boltzmann (D and C-PB) method. Notwithstanding, a high correlation between EE-GMFCC-CPCM and D and C-PB is observed. This study demonstrates that the linear-scaling EE-GMFCC-CPCM approach is an accurate and also efficient method for the calculation of electrostatic solvation energy of proteins.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2013

Nonlinear electrostatic excitations in magnetized dense plasmas with nonrelativistic and ultra-relativistic degenerate electrons

Linear and nonlinear electrostatic waves in magnetized dense electron-ion plasmas are studied with nonrelativistic and ultra-relativistic degenerate and singly, doubly charged helium (He{sup +}, He{sup ++}) and hydrogen (H{sup +}) ions, respectively. The dispersion relation of electrostatic waves in magnetized dense plasmas is obtained under both the energy limits of degenerate electrons. Using reductive perturbation method, the Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation for nonlinear propagation of electrostatic solitons in magnetized dense plasmas is derived for both nonrelativistic and ultra-relativistic degenerate electrons. It is found that variations in plasma density, magnetic field intensity, different mass, and charge number of ions play significant role in the formation of electrostatic solitons in magnetized dense plasmas. The numerical plots are also presented for illustration using the parameters of dense astrophysical plasma situations such as white dwarfs and neutron stars exist in the literature. The present investigation is important for understanding the electrostatic waves propagation in the outer periphery of compact stars which mostly consists of hydrogen and helium ions with degenerate electrons in dense magnetized plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Axisymmetric electrostatic magnetohydrodynamic oscillations in tokamaks with general cross-sections and toroidal flow

The frequency spectrum and mode structure of axisymmetric electrostatic oscillations [the zonal flow (ZF), sound waves (SW), geodesic acoustic modes (GAM), and electrostatic mean flows (EMF)] in tokamaks with general cross-sections and toroidal flows are studied analytically using the electrostatic approximation for magnetohydrodynamic modes. These modes constitute the “electrostatic continua.” Starting from the energy principle for a tokamak plasma with toroidal rotation, we showed that these modes are completely stable. The ZF, the SW, and the EMF could all be viewed as special cases of the general GAM. The Euler equations for the general GAM are obtained and are solved analytically for both the low and high range of Mach numbers. The solution consists of the usual countable infinite set of eigen-modes with discrete eigen-frequencies, and two modes with lower frequencies. The countable infinite set is identified with the regular GAM. The lower frequency mode, which is also divergence free as the plasma rotation tends to zero, is identified as the ZF. The other lower (zero) frequency mode is a pure geodesic E×B flow and not divergence free is identified as the EMF. The frequency of the EMF is shown to be exactly 0 independent of plasma cross-section or its flow Mach number. We also show that in general, sound waves with no geodesic components are (almost) completely lost in tokamaks with a general cross-sectional shape. The exception is the special case of strict up-down symmetry. In this case, half of the GAMs would have no geodesic displacements. They are identified as the SW. Present day tokamaks, although not strictly up-down symmetric, usually are only slightly up-down asymmetric. They are expected to share the property with the up-down symmetric tokamak in that half of the GAMs would be more sound wave-like, i.e., have much weaker coupling to the geodesic components than the other half of non-sound-wave-like modes with stronger coupling to the geodesic displacements. Based on the general notion that the geodesic component of the GAM is more effective in tearing up the eddies in the electrostatic turbulence, it is important to preferentially excite the GAMs that are non-sound-wave like to maximize the efficiency on turbulence suppression through external means. Finally, approximate formulae for the frequencies of the EMF, ZF, SW, and the GAM for a large aspect ratio circular tokamak rotating at low Mach numbers are also provided.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1979

Coherent anomalous resistivity in the region of electrostatic shocks

Anomalous resistivity in a phase-coherent electrostatic ion cyclotron wave in the region of the auroral electrostatic shocks observed by the S3-3 satellite is considered. It is shown that current-driven shocks and anomalous resistivity will be most important above 5,000 km, where the electron drift velocity is maximized and parallel electric fields are possible. A model for the parallel field based on the dissipation of an Alfven wave pulse by current-driven electrostatic ion cyclotron turbulence is presented. In the model, coherent electrostatic ion cyclotron waves lead to anomalous resistivity by electron trapping, producing parallel electric fields greater than 1 mV/m, and may set up the parallel populations necessary to support oblique electrostatic shocks.

Lysak, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Electrostatic disruption of a charged conducting spheroid

Electrostatic disruption of elongated parent grains following sudden charging to high electrostatic potentials is proposed as a specific mechanism for the appearance of striae or pseudosynchronic bands which have been observed in several comets. The polar and equatorial electrostatic tension for axis ratios between 0.01 and 1000 are calculated, and the polar pressure is found to be larger than the equatorial pressure for prolate spheroids. The electrostatic polar pressure profile along the polar axis for prolate spheroids is calculated, and the pressure is found to increase monotonically from a minimum at the center to a maxima at the ends. This indicates that as a prolate spheroid of uniform tensile strength is charged up, it will continue to chip off at the ends when the electrostatic pressure there exceeds the uniform tensile strength of the grain. The result can be a prolate grain or a grain which continues chipping until it explodes.

Hill, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

The electrostatic effect for the collisionless tearing mode

Electron dynamics has not been self-consistently considered in collisionless tearing mode theories to date because of the mathematical complexity of the Vlasov-Maxwell equations. It has been found, using computer simulations, that electrostatic fields play an important role in the tearing mode. Vlasov theory, including the electrostatic field, is investigated for topologies with both antiparallel and nonantiparallel magnetic field lines. The electrostatic field influences the resonant current in the neutral sheet which is a non-MHD effect, and modifies the linear growth rate. At the magnetopause, where the field lines are not antiparallel, the electrostatic effect acts to raise the linear growth rate of the tearing mode. On the other hand, in the magnetotail, where magnetic field lines are antiparallel, the electrostatic effect reduces the tearing mode growth rate.

Hoshino, Masahiro↗
NASA NTRS1991

Electrostatic fields in a dusty Martian environment

While there have been several studies suggesting the possibility of electrical activity on Mars, to date there have been no measurements to search for evidence of such activity. In the absence of widespread water clouds and convective storm systems similar to those on the Earth and Jupiter, the most likely candidate for the creation of electrostatic charges and fields is triboelectric charging of dust, i.e., the friction between blown dust and the ground, and of dust particles with each other. Terrestrial experience demonstrates that electric fields 5 to 15 kV-m(exp -1) are not uncommon in dust storms and dust devils in desert regions, where the polarity varies according to the chemical composition and grain size. Simple laboratory experiments have demonstrated that modest electrostatic fields of roughly 5,000 V-m(exp -1) may be produced, along with electrical spark discharges and glow discharges, in a simulation of a dusty, turbulent Martian surface environment. While the Viking landers operated for several years with no apparent deleterious effects from electrostatic charging, this may have been at least partly due to good engineering design utilizing pre-1976 electronic circuitry to minimize the possibility of differential charging among the various system components. However, free roaming rovers, astronauts, and airborne probes may conceivably encounter an environment where electrostatic charging is a frequent occurrence, either by way of induction from a static electric field or friction with the dusty surface and atmosphere. This raises the possibility of spark discharges or current surges when subsequent contact is made with other pieces of electrical equipment, and the possibility of damage to modern microelectronic circuitry. Measurements of electrostatic fields on the surface of Mars could therefore be valuable for assessing this danger. Electric field measurements could also be useful for detecting natural discharges that originate in dust storms. This detection could be performed at distances ranging from 10s of km in the case of J-charge-like discharge signatures, to planetary distances if there exists a global electrical circuit or Schumann resonance spectrum.

Sentman, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Numerical Investigation of Two-Phase Flows With Charged Droplets in Electrostatic Field

A numerical method to solve two-phase turbulent flows with charged droplets in an electrostatic field is presented. The ensemble-averaged Navier-Stokes equations and the electrostatic potential equation are solved using a finite volume method. The transitional turbulence field is described using multiple-time-scale turbulence equations. The equations of motion of droplets are solved using a Lagrangian particle tracking scheme, and the inter-phase momentum exchange is described by the Particle-In-Cell scheme. The electrostatic force caused by an applied electrical potential is calculated using the electrostatic field obtained by solving a Laplacian equation and the force exerted by charged droplets is calculated using the Coulombic force equation. The method is applied to solve electro-hydrodynamic sprays. The calculated droplet velocity distributions for droplet dispersions occurring in a stagnant surrounding are in good agreement with the measured data. For droplet dispersions occurring in a two-phase flow, the droplet trajectories are influenced by aerodynamic forces, the Coulombic force, and the applied electrostatic potential field.

Kim, Sang-Wook↗