Dielectric Barrier Discharge Actuators Employed as Alternative to Conventional High-Lift Devices

Abstract

The performance and effectiveness of serpentine dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators as hingeless high-lift devices on a three-dimensional airplane model were investigated. Attempts were made to design the actuators in the most optimized way, based on the reported results of the latest dielectric barrier discharge optimization efforts. Four actuators were mounted onto four different locations of the wings as the leading-edge slat, spoiler, flap, and leading-edge aileron. Operation of the actuators on one wing increased and/or decreased the lift/drag and generated a gradual rolling moment. The experiments were performed separately for each actuator at three different Reynolds numbers, seven angles of attack, three peak-to-peak voltages, and three wave frequencies. The Reynolds numbers were approximately , , and . The evaluation based on actuators effects on rolling moment generation was performed, and the results indicate that employing the serpentine dielectric barrier discharge actuators as high-lift devices for low Reynolds number applications is possible, especially as DBD slat and DBD spoiler, and they can have the same effect of a conventional aileron only for normal flight maneuvering, with low power consumption.