A careful search of the literature and assessment of the EHD technology suggests that the technique has now passed its infancy stage. Its applicability to environmentally safe refrigerants has been successfully demonstrated in a number of experiments, including in a 15-Ton prototype EHD condenser. The preliminary work also has demonstrated the potential applicability of the technique for heat transfer enhancement of non-CFC refrigerants. Little or no information is available on the technical know-how and development of components for reliable operation of these systems. In most cases the emphasis has been on the magnitude of enhancements with little explanation on the mechanism or method of test and apparatus development.

The objective of this project is to develop experimental and design knowledge in EHD enhanced boiling heat transfer that can be extended to HVAC&R applications. The research will focus on two main areas, concept testing (experimentation and demonstration) and optimum system design (optimum electrodes design and systems design guidelines).