Effect of three-electrode plasma synthetic jet actuator on shock wave control

Abstract

A three-electrode high-energy plasma synthetic jet (PSJ) actuator was used for shock wave control. This actuator is an enhanced version of the two-electrode actuator as a high-voltage trigger electrode is added to increase the cavity volume and the input energy while retaining a relatively low disruptive voltage. The electrical properties were studied using current-voltage measurements, and the energy consumption was calculated. To assess the jet strength, the penetration of PSJ was compared with empirical values, and the results show that the momentum flux ratio of PSJ for a capacitance of 0.96, 1.6, and 3 μF was approximately equal to 0.6, 1.0, and 1.3, respectively. The interaction of PSJ with shock waves was acquired using high-speed shadowgraph imaging. The shock was generated by a 25° compression ramp in Mach 2 flow, and PSJ actuator was placed up-stream of the compression ramp. Under the action of PSJ, the strength of the shock was notably weakened, and the near-wall part of the shock was entirely eliminated. The results show the good control effect of the three-electrode high-energy PSJ in high-speed flow.