Ion injection as an effective technique of heat transfer enhancement in space

The heat transfer enhancement technique of ion injection is studied in point-plane geometry. A downward-facing plate is uniformly heated in a pool, filled by the dielectric liquid HFE-7100. The application of a high voltage between the high-curvature electrode and the plate induces a strong jetlike motion, impinging on the heat transfer surface, for which the temperature field is mapped by thermochromic liquid crystals. Heat transfer coefficients are enhanced up to 1800%, with a negligible power input. At heat-flux values typically generated by electronic components, the heat exchange phenomenon is almost entirely controlled by the electrical forces acting within the fluid, whereas buoyancy plays only a minor role, making the technique very attractive for use in a free-failing object.