Aerodynamic and energy‐efficiency‐based assessment of plasma actuator's position on a NACA0015 airfoil

Abstract

In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of research papers on plasma and its use in active flow control applications. The main objective of this study is to assess the plasma actuator's position on a NACA0015 airfoil in terms of aerodynamic forces. In addition, optimization of the plasma actuator's position and its configuration are studied in order to identify the optimum configuration for improvement in lift coefficient. The experiments are conducted in an open-suction-type wind tunnel at Reynolds numbers of 48,000, 75,000, and 100,000. The plasma actuators are mounted on various positions (x/C) starting from the leading edge to trailing edge of the airfoil. The experimental results on aerodynamic force measurement are presented to illustrate the increasing lift effect of the generated plasma. It is also shown that the plasma actuators used as an active flow control device appears to shift the stall angle of the airfoil. The results of the experimental study suggest that the energy efficiency of airborne systems can be improved with the use of plasma actuators due to its increasing lift coefficient effect. This result becomes a vital finding considering that the same flight can be achieved with less fuel and less amount of environmental pollution for the same distance of journey. It is also worth mentioning that increasing lift effect would mean taking off from a shorter runway or allowing the airborne vehicle with the ability to fly with additional payload. K E Y W O R D Sairfoil, energy efficiency, lift coefficient, plasma actuator, stall angle