Low power cooling and flow inducement

Abstract

A plasma actuator of the present disclosure comprises a plate electrode; a needle electrode positioned at a height above the plate electrode and a distance away from the plate electrode; and a voltage source connected to the needle electrode. Application of a signal from the voltage source to the needle electrode forms surface corona discharge around a tip of the needle electrode, and air flow driven by the corona discharge from the tip of the needle electrode is induced at a surface of the plate electrode. Accordingly, the air flow that is created can be used to cool a surface, such as a circuit board, a heat exchanger, etc.

Therefore, at least the following is claimed: 
     
         1 . A plasma actuator comprising:
 a plate electrode;   a needle electrode positioned at a height above the plate electrode and a distance away from the plate electrode; and   a voltage source connected to the needle electrode, wherein application of a signal from the voltage source to the needle electrode forms surface corona discharge around a tip of the needle electrode,   wherein air flow driven by the corona discharge from the tip of the needle electrode is induced at a surface of the plate electrode.   
     
     
         2 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the plate electrode is connected to ground. 
     
     
         3 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage source applies a positive DC signal to the needle electrode. 
     
     
         4 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage source applies a negative DC signal to the needle electrode. 
     
     
         5 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the needle electrode comprises steel material. 
     
     
         6 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the plate electrode comprises copper material. 
     
     
         7 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional plate electrode positioned a height above the needle electrode and a distance away from the needle electrode, wherein two wall jets are formed from the corona discharges of the needle electrode. 
     
     
         8 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional needle electrode positioned as a linear array with the needle electrode at the height above the plate electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The plasma actuator of  claim 8 , wherein the needle electrode is powered at a voltage signal that is different from a voltage signal that powers the additional needle electrode. 
     
     
         10 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the distance is 15 mm and the height is 2.5 mm. 
     
     
         11 . The plasma actuator of  claim 1 , wherein a width of the plate electrode is 10 mm. 
     
     
         12 . A method of plasma actuation comprising:
 providing a voltage source;   providing a needle electrode connected to the voltage source;   providing a plate electrode, wherein the needle electrode is disposed at a height above the plate electrode and at a distance away from the plate electrode;   applying a signal from the voltage source to the needle electrode thereby forming a corona discharge around a tip of the needle electrode; and   inducing air flow at a surface of the plate electrode driven by the corona discharge from the tip of the needle electrode.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising connecting the plate electrode to ground. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the signal applied to the needle electrode is a positive DC signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the signal applied to the needle electrode is a negative DC signal. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing an additional plate electrode positioned a height above the needle electrode and a distance away from the needle electrode, wherein two wall jets are formed from the corona discharges of the needle electrode. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising providing at least one additional needle electrode positioned as a linear array with the needle electrode at the height above the plate electrode. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the needle electrode is powered at a voltage signal that is different from a voltage signal that powers the additional needle electrode. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the air flow induced by the corona discharge of the needle electrode and the additional needle electrode comprises one or more vortices. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising controlling direction of rotation of the one or more vortices by applying different voltage signals to the needle electrode and the additional needle electrode. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising positioning the plate electrode adjacent to a circuit component so that the circuit component is cooled by the air flow induced by the corona discharge. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein with an increase in applied positive voltage at the signal, a temperature at a surface adjacent to the plate electrode reduces. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising positioning the plate electrode adjacent to a fin extending from a base of a heat exchanger,
 wherein the fin dissipates heat from a surface of the base to ambient fluid surrounding the at least one fin; and   wherein the air flow driven by the corona discharge from the tip of the needle electrode motivates movement of the ambient fluid surrounding the fin.   
     
     
         24 . A heat exchanger system comprising:
 at least one fin extending from a base plate of a heat exchanger, wherein the at least one fin dissipates heat from a surface of the base plate to ambient fluid surrounding the at least one fin; and   at least one needle actuation device positioned near a wake region of the at least one fin that is adapted to provide an electrically induced body force to motivate movement of the ambient fluid surrounding the at least one fin.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one fin is rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one fin is circular in shape. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one needle actuation device comprises:
 a needle electrode positioned at a height above a plate electrode and a distance away from the plate electrode; and   a voltage source connected to the needle electrode, wherein application of a signal from the voltage source to the needle electrode forms surface corona discharge around a tip of the needle electrode.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one needle actuation device comprises a needle electrode in a form of a thin wire running substantially parallel to the at least one fin.