Electrohydrodynamic Flow in Optoelectrostatic Micropump: Experiment Versus Numerical Simulation

The paper deals with optoelectrostatic pumping of conductive liquids in microchannels. In this technique the fluid is heated by the laser irradiation and exposed to an external AC electric field. If the fluid permittivity and conductivity vary with temperature the electric volume force is generated and pumping effect can be achieved. A numerical model of this phenomenon is presented and it is based on the finite element analysis of the electric, thermal and flow fields. The numerical predictions are compared with the experimental data with a reasonable qualitative agreement.