OPTIMIZATION OF ELECTRODE SYSTEM FOR ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC (EHD) DRYER

Abstract

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying is a non-thermal dewatering technology, based on the phenomenon of high-voltage corona discharge in the gaseous medium. It is offering high product quality and less energy consumption compared to commonly used thermal drying. Since EHD drying was not commercialized yet, this research was focused on the optimization of discharge and collecting electrodes for industrial application of this drying technology. Three types of needles in discharge electrodes and mesh-type collecting electrodes with different open area, wire diameter, and grounded wires percentage have been studied. Discharge electrode fabricated with sharp pins or construction nails was found to be the most suitable to use in EHD dryers. Mesh collecting electrode significantly enhanced drying rate compared to a solid plate and it is recommended to use in the large scale EHD dryers. The results of this research are critical for further industrial upscaling of the EHD drying technology.