Influence of Seeding Particle Type on Velocity Measurements in Silicone Oil Under High Voltage

For several years, our research group has developed electrohydrodynamic (EHD) actuators able to set dielectric liquid in motion. More precisely, these actuators are designed to produce electroconvective flows up to 1 m/s. These flows are jets (impinging jet, wall jet, etc.) that can be used in various applications such as mixing, flow control, cooling systems, etc. The main advantages of these actuators are direct conversion of electric energy into inertial energy (without moving parts), low cost, and easy miniaturization. EHD pumps could be used in microfluidic applications. Nevertheless, the fundamental physics of these flows remains complex, and in order to have a better understanding of these electroconvective flows, we need a more reliable analysis method. The best method to date is particle image velocimetry. However, in order to show liquid movement, this method requires seeding particles, which can be electrically charged and so on can be influenced by the electric field produced by the electrodes. In this work, we study the behavior of three types of seeding particles under high electric field in order to estimate the error induced by the electric field on the measurement of the liquid velocity.