A numerical study is conducted to explore the performance and efficiency of Single Dielectric Barrier Discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators for controlling the turbulent boundary layer separation that occurs on the blades of a centrifugal fan. The numerical approach is based on the computational method developed previously to couple a DBD Electro Hydro-Dynamic (EHD) body force model with a RANS/LES flow model. The EHD body force model is based on solving the electrostatic equations for the electric potential due to applied voltage and the net charge density due to ionized air. The efficiency of the actuator at four different alternative current (AC) waveforms including sine, pulse, square, and pulse-amplitude-modulated sine is investigated in this study. The effect of applied voltage on the performance of the plasma actuator is also examined for all waveforms.

Volume Subject Area:
17th Symposium on Turbomachinery Flow Simulation and Optimization
Topics:
Blades, Impellers, Numerical analysis, Plasmas (Ionized gases), Separation (Technology), Actuators, Boundary layer turbulence, Computational methods, Density, Electric potential, Flow (Dynamics), Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations
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