Abstract Due to the more stringent aviation regulations on fuel consumption and noise reduction, the interest for smaller and mechanically less complex devices for flow separation control has increased. Plasma actuators are currently among the most studied typology of devices for active flow control purposes due to their small size and lightweight. In this study, a single dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) actuator is used on a backward-facing step to assess its effects on the separated turbulent shear layer and its reattachment location. A range of actuating modulation frequencies, related to the natural frequencies of shear layer instability (flapping) and vortex shedding instability, are examined. The particle image velocimetry technique is used to analyse the flow over the step and the reattachment location. The bulk-flow experiments show negligible effects both on the shear layer and on the reattachment location for every frequency considered, and the actuator is not able to induce a sufficient velocity increase at the step separation point.
Highlights Effect of DBD plasma actuator for flow control is examined experimentally. The influence of various actuator driving frequencies on a shear layer is studied. The Reynolds stress showed only slight variations due to driving frequency changes. The plasma actuator is placed upstream of a step and the flow reattachment is analysed. The reattachment location showed no significant change for different driving frequencies.
Active flow control over a backward-facing step using plasma actuation
Acta Astronautica ; 126 ; 354-363
2016-05-14
10 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Active flow control over a backward-facing step using plasma actuation
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|Active control of a backward-facing step flow
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|NS-DBD Plasma Actuation on a Backward Facing Step (AIAA 2014-0325)
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