Effect of magnetic field on electroconvection in a thin layer of magnetic nanofluid

Abstract

It is shown that the external magnetic field (of the strength < 10 kA/m) parallel to the electric field (DC and AC) reduces the electroconvection development threshold voltage and the time of electroconvection development (up to 50 %), and creates a more branched pattern of electroconvective flows in a layer of magnetic nanofluid. The magnetic field perpendicular to the electric field increases the electroconvection development threshold (up to 15 %) and leads to electroconvective pattern degeneracy into a system of strips parallel to the magnetic field. It is demonstrated that the critical voltage increases with increasing magnetic nanofluid layer thickness and voltage frequency.