Abstract: A method of water desalination and purification includes steps of flowing salted or contaminated water concentration into a narrow or pointed portion of a corona electrode; applying an electrical potential difference between the water and an opposite electrode; generating a corona discharge in the narrow or pointed portion; evaporating the water; electrically charging water droplets and molecules formed by the evaporating step by means of the corona discharge; moving the charged droplets and molecules toward the oppositely charged electrode; condensing fresh water; and collecting fresh water. A corresponding desalination device includes a corona electrode; at least one attracting electrode; a power supply generating electrical potential difference between the corona electrode and the attracting electrode; and at least one water condensing member.

Abstract: Electrospray evaporative cooling (ESC). Means for effectuating thermal management using electrospray cooling are presented herein. An ESC may be implemented having one or more nozzles situated to spray droplets of a fluid towards a target. Because the fluid may be electrolytic, an electric field may be established between the one or more nozzles and the target can be operative to govern the direction, rate, etc. of the electrospraying between the one or more nozzles and the target. An additional shielding/field enhancement electrode may also be implemented between the one or more nozzles and the target. A droplet movement mechanism may be employed to transport droplets received at a first location of the target so that evaporation thereof may occur relatively more at a second location of the target. An ESC device may be implemented to effectuate thermal management of any of a variety of types of electronic devices.

Abstract: An electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator apparatus includes a corona electrode having an axial shape and configured to receive a first voltage. The electrohydrodynamic fluid accelerator apparatus includes a collector electrode disposed coaxially around the at least one corona electrode and configured to receive a second voltage. Application of the first and second voltages on the corona electrode and the collector electrode, respectively, causes fluid proximate to the corona electrode to ionize and travel in a first direction between the corona electrode and the collector electrode, thereby causing other fluid molecules to travel in a second direction to generate a fluid stream. In at least one embodiment of the invention, the ionized fluid proximate to the emitter electrode travels in a radial direction from the corona electrode to the collector electrode, causing the other fluid molecules to travel in an axial direction to thereby generate the fluid stream.

Abstract: A method of converting an audio signal into vibratory modulation of a fluid includes converting a series of pulses representative of the audio signal into a plurality of signals having an intermediate peak-to-peak voltage; summing said signals having said intermediate voltage to provide a driver signal having a high peak-to-peak voltage; supplying said driver signal to an electrostatic fluid accelerator; and generating a corona discharge inducing said vibratory modulation of said fluid.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus is provided with an electrostatic flow modifier to be complementarily positioned relative to a cooling fluid flow to modify at least one characteristic of the cooling fluid flow to enhance an amount of heat the cooling fluid flow removes from an electronic component.