Enhancing Aerodynamic Performance of a Two-Dimensional Airfoil Using Plasma Actuators

Ünal N., Öz Y., Ünal E. A., Oktay T.

AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, cilt.158, sa.109882, ss.1-12, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 158 Sayı: 109882
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.ast.2024.109882
  • Dergi Adı: AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Aerospace Database, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, INSPEC, Metadex, zbMATH, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-12
  • Erciyes Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Active and passive flow control methods are used nowadays to increase the aerodynamic performance of aircrafts. In passive flow control methods, performance improvement is realized without using external energy while for active flow control the motion around the object is managed by using energy in the system without any change in the body structure.

Some passive flow control methods used today include placing a separator plate on the back of the object, surface roughness or flow disrupting wire-like elements placed on the surface, roundings at sharp corners, notches-slits opened to certain parts of the object and controlling the flow with a control rod placed in front of the object. Methods used in active flow control are deforming surfaces, zero net mass flux actuators, non-zero net mass flux actuators, moving object / surface actuators, flexible as well as displacement blades and plasma assisted actuators. In recent years, hybrid control methods also have been developed by combining both active and passive control methods.

In this manuscript a study was carried out on plasma actuators which are classified as active flow control. The scope of the study includes selection of plasma and airfoil type, designing and producing a novel wing, experimental and computational studies for defining flow separation points of the wing, plasma actuator placement on the wing, performing wind tunnel tests and evaluating test results using artificial neural networks.

As a result, variations in the lift coefficient CL, drag coefficient CD and lift-to-drag ratio CL/CD = L/D values that affect aerodynamic characteristics of the wing will be analyzed. Correspondingly, advantages of plasma are revealed. As a result of the tests 65 and 161 % increases in the CL and CL/CD values were observed for 150000 Reynolds numbers, respectively, when the actuators were open.