Optimization of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuators for Active Aerodynamic Flow Control

This paper presents the results of a parametric experimental investigation aimed at optimizing the body force produced by single dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators used for aerodynamic flow control. A primary goal of the study is the improvement of actuator authority for flow control applications at higher Reynolds number than previously possible. The study examines the effects of dielectric material and thickness, applied voltage amplitude and frequency, voltage waveform, exposed electrode geometry, covered electrode width, and multiple actuator arrays. The metric used to evaluate the performance of the actuator in each case is the measured actuator-induced thrustwhich is proportional to the total body force. It is demonstrated that actuators constructedwith thick dielectric material of lowdielectric constant produce abody force that is an order ofmagnitude larger than that obtained by the Kapton-based actuators used inmanyprevious plasmaflow control studies. These actuators allowoperation atmuch higher applied voltages without the formation of discrete streamers which lead to body force saturation. Nomenclature b = electrode serration width E = electric field f = body force Gr = Grashof number h = electrode serration height Re = Reynolds number T = actuator-induced thrust Uj = wall jet velocity Vpp = peak-to-peak voltage Vrms = root-mean-square voltage x = streamwise spatial coordinate y = wall-normal spatial coordinate " = dielectric constant = fluid density c = charge density I.