Electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator device with collector electrode exhibiting curved leading edge profile

Abstract

Performance of an electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator device may be improved and adverse events such as sparking or arcing may be reduced based, amongst other things, on electrode geometries and/or positional interrelationships of the electrodes. For example, in a class of EHD devices that employ a longitudinally elongated corona discharge electrode (often, but not necessarily, a wire), a plurality of generally planar, collector electrodes may be positioned so as to present respective leading surfaces toward the corona discharge electrode. The generally planar collector electrodes may be oriented so that their major surfaces are generally orthogonal to the longitudinal extent of the corona discharge electrode. In such EHD devices, a high intensity electric field can be established in the 'gap' between the corona discharge electrode and leading surfaces of the collector electrodes.