Characteristics of a nanosecond pulsed dielectric barrier plasma actuator with a surface water film

Abstract

Aircraft icing is one of the most serious hazards for airflight operations. The nanosecond pulsed surface dielectric barrier discharge (NSDBD) plasma actuator is recognized as an extremely promising anti-icing technology. In this paper, a multi-physics coupling simulation is used to study the plasma-discharge characteristics and responses of the air–water flow field generated by an NSDBD plasma actuator with a surface water film. The computational model describes air flows through an NSDBD plasma actuator with a water film at the center of two upper powered electrodes. The multi-physics model is solved using the drift-diffusion and energy-conservation equations for the plasma discharge and the mass, momentum, energy, and concentration equations for the air–water flow. The results show that, at the beginning of the voltage pulse, the surface water film has no effect on the plasma discharge. Then, during the pulse plateau time, the film leads to a longer plasma-discharge time and a larger plasma-discharge region. Furthermore, the film causes the plasma-actuator surface to develop a virtual positive electrode that would otherwise be absent and results in the plasma actuator generating more intense shock waves, higher gas temperatures, and larger heated regions.