Demonstration of Plasma Actuators as Active Flow Control Devices

Active flow control is an area of intense research in the aerospace community. Single Dielectric Barrier Discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators are a recent development that shows potential as a solution to replace large mechanical systems with low power electrical systems. Plasma actuators have been shown to improve the efficiency and reduce noise on aircraft systems, eliminate flow separation, and increase the stall angle of attack, both experimentally and computationally. Computer simulations previously performed by S&T students were experimentally tested by constructing a wind tunnel model capable of demonstrating various Teflon and Kapton based plasma actuators at differing model locations. Lift and drag characteristics were measured and shown to improve with the introduction of plasma, and flow reattachment was demonstrated using smoke flow visualization in the Subsonic Wind Tunnel at S&T. This experiment will be used in future aerospace class demonstrations as an undergraduate laboratory exercise