Abstract
This article presents the results of numerical simulation and experimental study of a multi-pin electrohydrodynamic (EHD) dryer. Combined effect of EHD flow and the external air cross-flow on drying performance was investigated with 3-D numerical model, which accounts for electric field, electric charge transport, external air cross-flow and material-gas moisture transport. Effect of cross-flow air stream on drying was positive in the range of low velocities, changing to negative at high velocities due to counteracting with EHD flow. Numerical simulation predicted previously unknown effect of EHD flow on the cross-flow air stream, which was quantified as an increase of airway resistance. This prediction was fully validated by experiments. Both numerical simulation and experiment proved that for given intensity of EHD flow there is an optimum value of the cross-flow, resulting in maximum drying performance. The numerical model can be applied to determine the optimal operating parameters for multi-pin EHD dryer.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr. Tadeusz Kudra for the valuable suggestions related to model verification and CMC Microsystems for providing access to the COMSOL commercial software. Chaoao Shi’s help in numerical simulation is highly appreciated.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
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Notes on contributors
Chongshan Zhong
Chongshan Zhong received his bachelor's, master's and PhD's degrees in high voltage technology of electrical engineering from China. As an associate professor at China Agricultural University, he focuses on the applications of high voltage techniques to the area of agriculture and food engineering, such as EHD drying, plasma nitrogen fixation, plasma fruit preservation, and PEF sterilization, etc.
Alex Martynenko
Alex Martynenko is a professor of bioelectronics engineering in Dalhousie University, Canada. He received his education as electromechanical engineer from National Agricultural University, Ukraine and from Guelph University, Canada. His research interests include electrotechnologies for drying and innovative food processing.
Patrick Wells
Patrick Wells is computer engineering student Department of Engineering, Dalhousie University.
Kazimierz Adamiak
Kazimierz Adamiak is a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. His research interests include gas discharges and electrohydrodynamics.