Numerical research on airfoil transition delay by alternative current dielectric barrier discharge actuation

Bei LIU, Hua LIANG, Zhonghua HAN, Yinghong LI, Fei LIU, Jiangbo CHI, Zhiwen DING

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

A Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuator can create a body force which locally accelerates the base flow leading to an attenuation of broadband disturbance to delay the transition. In this study, numerical simulation on an NLF0416 airfoil is conducted to investigate transition delay and drag reduction by a DBD plasma actuator. To simulate plasma's effect more accurately, boundary-layer data is acquired from Reynolds Averaged Navier Stocks (RANS) equations instead of laminar boundary layer equations, although RANS equations need a much finer boundary-layer grid, and the linear stability analysis method is used to analyze the boundary layer and get the transition point. In this study, the influences of different actuation intensities and positions are investigated, and results show that if the actuation intensity is stronger and the actuation position is closer to the base transition point, more drag reduction can be obtained. However, the efficiency of plasma transition delay is really low. For example, when the actuation voltage is 16 kV, the actuation frequency is 1 kHz, and the main Mach number is 0.1, the saved power due to drag reduction is about 5.09 W, but the power consumed is about 32.61 W, and the efficiency is just 15.6%.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)441-453
Number of pages13
JournalChinese Journal of Aeronautics
Volume34
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2021

Keywords

  • Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD)
  • Efficiency analysis
  • Linear stability analysis
  • Plasma flow control
  • Plasma transition delay

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