Review on electro-convection and electro–thermo-convection in dielectric liquids within different geometrical models

Electrohydrodynamics (EHD) explores the interactions between electric fields and various fluid media. The core principle of electrically driven fluid motion lies in the direct conversion of electrical energy into fluid kinetic energy, forming the basis for efficient and intelligent energy utilization. Among the fundamental topics in EHD, Coulomb-force-driven electro-convection (EC) plays a crucial role in understanding the interaction mechanisms between flow fields and electric fields, as well as charge transport processes. Building upon EC, electro–thermo-convection (ETC) introduces additional complexity by incorporating nonlinear interactions among the temperature field, electric field, flow field, and charge density field. This leads to rich nonlinear bifurcation phenomena and provides new theoretical insights for applications such as heat transfer enhancement and intelligent thermal management. This study systematically examines the behavior and underlying mechanisms of EC and ETC in square cavities, parallel plates, and annular geometries. It focuses on charge generation mechanisms, the dimensionless formulation of governing equations, and key control parameters, while also analyzing the nonlinear interactions in EC and ETC and their impact on flow stability and heat transfer efficiency.