Electrohydrodynamic linear stability analysis of dielectric liquids subjected to unipolar injection in a rectangular enclosure with rigid sidewalls

Abstract

We investigate the linear stability threshold of a dielectric liquid subjected to unipolar injection in a 2D rectangular enclosure with rigid boundaries. A finite element formulation transforms the set of linear partial differential equations that governs the system into a set of algebraic equations. The resulting system poses an eigenvalue problem. We calculate the linear stability threshold, as well as the velocity field and charge density distribution, as a function of the aspect ratio of the domain. The stability parameter as a function of the aspect ratio describes paths of symmetry-breaking bifurcation. The symmetry properties of the different linear modes determine whether these paths cross each other or not. The resulting structure has important consequences in the non-linear behavior of the system after the bifurcation points.