FLOW SEPARATION SUPPRESSION ON AERODYNAMIC SURFACES USING PLASMA ACTUATORS: NUMERICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Flow separation on aerodynamic surfaces significantly degrades aerodynamic performance by increasing drag and reducing lift. Active flow control techniques have therefore gained considerable attention as effective solutions for separation suppression. Among these techniques, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators offer distinct advantages due to their fast response, low power consumption, and absence of moving parts.

This study presents a combined numerical and experimental investigation of flow separation control on an aerodynamic surface using plasma actuators. Numerical simulations are performed using Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approaches to capture both mean flow characteristics and unsteady flow structures. Experimental validation is conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel using Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) to obtain detailed velocity fields.

The numerical results show good agreement with PIV measurements in terms of velocity distribution and separation point location. The application of plasma actuation leads to a noticeable delay in flow separation and a reduction in the drag coefficient. The findings confirm the effectiveness of plasma actuators as an active flow control strategy and demonstrate the importance of coupling CFD simulations with experimental verification for accurate flow prediction.