(April 13th, 2016) Michal Talmor, a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical engineering at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Worcester, Massachusetts, is focused on bringing electrohydrodynamic (EHD)-based thermal control to space exploration devices.
Now in the second year of her NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship (NSTRF), according to I-Connect007.com, “Talmor’s research makes use of electrohydrodynamic conduction pumps to manage the flow of dielectric fluids via applied electric fields. The ultra-small pumps are simple and flexible in design, so there are no moving parts and they offer quality heat transfer capabilities.” They are also “effective for long periods of time.”
Talmor points out that “in the microgravity conditions of space the EHD pumps offer flow distribution capabilities and perform better at smaller scales,” and reveals ,“Electric fields plus coolant equals the ability to make flows at very, very small scales, in order to cool down high power, high heat electronics.”
“We now have an experiment that’s slotted to go up on the International Space Station,” Talmor said, with further hopes of her small yet reliable EHD conduction technology being taken in a system all the way to Mars.
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