Experimental study of drag reduction on a simplified road vehicle model using serpentine DBD plasma actuators

This study investigates the aerodynamic drag reduction potential of serpentine dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators applied to a simplified road vehicle model, known as the Ahmed body. Four actuator positions were tested on the rear slant and vertical surfaces using wind tunnel experiments at Reynolds numbers ranging from 1.02 × 10 6 to 1.85 × 10 6 . The actuators operated at 12 kV and 10 kHz, with configurations inspired by earlier optimization studies. The key innovation of this study lies in employing serpentine DBD plasma actuators as a novel flow control device for Ahmed body aerodynamic drag reduction. Results of several experiments show that actuator position UP3, located mid-ramp, yielded the most effective drag reduction up to 36% due to its favorable influence on laminar separation bubble and wake structure. The comparative analysis indicates that serpentine plasma actuators achieve drag-reduction levels comparable to, and in some cases slightly exceeding, previously reported passive and active flow control techniques under similar conditions. The findings support the strategic integration of serpentine DBD actuators in future aerodynamic designs for ground vehicles.