Influence of an Electric Field on the Stability
of Thermogravitational Flow in a Vertical Capacitor

S. A. Zhdanov, S. R. Kosvintsev*, and I. Yu. Makarikhin**

Perm State University, Perm, 614600 Russia

*e-mail: kosvintsev@psu.ru

**e-mail: igor@psu.ru

Received August 18, 1999

Abstract—An experimental and theoretical study is made of the influence of a transverse electric field on ther-
mogravitational flow in a vertical capacitor filled with a barely conducting liquid. The boundaries of the capac-
itor are maintained at different temperatures. In the calculations it is assumed that the main contribution to ion-
ization of the liquid, which is electrically neutral in the absence of the field, is made by the buildup of uncom-
pensated charge accompanying the flow of electric current through a liquid having a nonuniform conductivity
distribution. The latter is induced by the temperature gradient. This system is simulated experimentally by using
a suitable working liquid–electrode material system. © 2000 MAIK “Nauka/Interperiodica”.

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