Abstract
In the last two decades synthetic jet actuators have gained much interest among flow control techniques due to their short response time, high jet velocity and absence of traditional piping, that matches the requirements of reduced size and low weight. A synthetic jet is generated by the diaphragm oscillation (generally driven by a piezo- electric element) in a relatively small cavity, producing periodic cavity pressure variations associated to cavity volume changes. The high pressure air exhausts through an orifice, converting membrane elastic energy in jet kinetic energy. This review paper faces the development of various lumped-element models (LEM) as practical tools to design and manufacturing actuators. LEM can predict quickly device performances such as frequency response in terms of membrane displacement, cavity pressure and jet velocity, as well as efficiency of energy conversion of input Joule power into useful kinetic power of air jet. Actuator performance is analyzed also by varying typical geometric parameters such as cavity height and orifice diameter and length, through a proper dimensionless form of the governing equations.
Highlights
In the last two decades synthetic jet actuators have gained much interest among flow control techniques due to their short response time, high jet velocity and absence of traditional piping, that matches the requirements of reduced size and low weight
A synthetic jet is generated by the diaphragm oscillation in a relatively small cavity, producing periodic cavity pressure variations associated to cavity volume changes
It has been many years since synthetic jet (SJ) actuators have been used for active flow control, for aerospace applications
Summary
It has been many years since synthetic jet (SJ) actuators have been used for active flow control, for aerospace applications These devices are able to manipulate the flow, modify its structure and allow a favorable variation of the aerodynamic forces on aircrafts [1]-[3]. Their application field is extremely wide, including separation control, mixing enhancement, heat transfer from small surfaces, spray vectoring, and many others [4]-[8]. A major characteristic of this jet is that it exhibits a zero-net mass-flux during an operating cycle, but a non-zero momentum flux It does not require a continuous supply of fluid for its generation, because it is synthesized directly from the surrounding fluid [9] [10]
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