Aerodynamic flow control by peristaltic acceleration of a one atmosphere uniform glow discharge plasma

Abstract

Summary form only given, as follows. We use the 7 /spl times/ 11 Low Speed Wind Tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center to conduct experiments designed to simultaneously generate a one atmosphere uniform glow discharge plasma (OAUGDP) while effecting peristaltic flow acceleration of atmospheric air over a flat plate. Peristaltic flow acceleration requires a polyphase power supply to excite the OAUGDP at progressive voltage phase angles on successive linear electrode strips. This excitation produces a traveling electrostatic wave analogous to the moving lights on a theatre marquee, which accelerates the ions and neutral gas to velocities of interest for aerodynamic applications. Lorentzian momentum transfer from plasma ions, in principle, can accelerate the embedded neutral gas to velocities of hundreds of meters/second using peristaltic flow acceleration. In preliminary experiments, peristaltic velocities determined with a Pitot probe have reached 6 m/s. In this paper we will present our most recent results, based on a panel in which the gas flow is accelerated to velocities above this value by a combination of paraelectric and peristaltic effects.