Electrode design for electrohydrodynamic induction pumping thermal energy transfer system

In a thermal energy transfer system comprising plural heat transfer members each having separate first and second surfaces each subjected to separate first and second temperatures, at least one of the first and second surfaces also being configured to be subjected to a fluid so that a liquid phase of the fluid is present on the at least one of said first and second surfaces and an outer conduit in which is oriented the plural heat transfer members, the improvement wherein:

• said first surface comprising multiple and separate first surface alterations extending coextensively with an axial length of said heat transfer member and at least partially around the circumference thereof;
• separate multiple electrical conductors each being received on a respective one of said separate first surface alterations;
• an electric multi-phase alternating power source having multiple terminals and producing a number of phases corresponding to a number of said multiple terminals, each of said multiple electrical conductors being connected to a different one of said multiple terminals so that an electric traveling wave moves in a longitudinal direction of said heat transfer member so as to induce pumping of the liquid phase in the longitudinal direction to hereby enhance the thermal energy transfer characteristics of said thermal energy transfer system.

In a thermal energy transfer system comprising a heat transfer member having separate first and second surfaces each subjected to separate first and second temperatures, at least one of the first and second surfaces also being configured to be subjected to a fluid so that a liquid phase of the fluid is present on the at least one of said first and second surfaces, the improvement wherein:

• said first surface comprising multiple and separate first surface alterations extending coextensively with an axial length of said heat transfer member;
• separate multiple electrical conductors each being received on a respective one of said separate first surface alterations;
• an electric multi-phase alternating power source having multiple terminals and producing a number of phases corresponding to a number of said multiple terminals, each of said multiple electrical conductors being connected to a different one of said multiple terminals so that an electric traveling wave moves in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each said electrical conductor so as to induce pumping of the liquid phase in the direction to hereby enhance the thermal energy transfer characteristics of said thermal energy transfer system.

In a thermal energy transfer system comprising at least one heat transfer member having separate first and second surfaces each subjected to separate first and second temperatures, at least one of the first and second surfaces also being configured to be subjected to a fluid so that a liquid phase of the fluid is present on the at least one of said first and second surfaces and an outer conduit in which is oriented the plural heat transfer members, the improvement wherein:

• said first surface comprising multiple and separate first surface alterations extending coextensively with an axial length of said at least one heat transfer member;
• separate multiple electrical conductors each being received on a respective one of said separate first surface alterations;
• an electric multi-phase alternating power source having multiple terminals and producing a number of phases corresponding to a number of said multiple terminals, each of said multiple electrical conductors being connected to a different one of said multiple terminals so that an electric traveling wave moves in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each said electric conductor so as to induce pumping of the liquid phase in the longitudinal direction to hereby enhance the thermal energy transfer characteristics of said thermal energy transfer system.