EDDIES INSIDE A LIQUID CONE STRESSED BY INTERFACIAL ELECTRICAL SHEAR

The velocity profile inside the liquid cone at the base of an electrically driven jet is examined by inserting tracer particles into the liquid. Observations of these particles at high magnification demonstrated the presence of an axisymmetric circulation inside the cone due to interfacial electrical shear stresses. This observation has led to a better understanding of the mechanism of electrostatic jet formation. An analytical solution is presented which predicts the velocity profile inside the cone. This was achieved by solving the equation of motion for creep flow in spherical polar coordinates and applying the relevant boundary conditions.