Abstract
This work focuses on the development of a multiscale computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation framework for the investigation of the effects of plasma kinetics on the performance of a microscale dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator (DBD-PA). To this purpose, DBD-PA multi-scale dual-step modelling approach has been implemented, by considering plasma chemistry and flow dynamic. At first, a microscopic plasma model based on the air plasma kinetics has been defined and plasma reactions have been simulated in zero-dimensional computations in order to evaluate the charge density. At this aim computations have been performed using the toolbox ZDPlasKin, which solves plasma reactions by means of Bolsig+ solver. An alternate current (AC) electrical feeding has been assumed: in particular, the sinusoidal voltage amplitude and the frequency have been fixed at 5 kV and 1 kHz at atmospheric pressure and 300 K temperature in quiescent environment. The predictal charge density has been in a macroscopic plasma-fluid model based on Suzen Dual Potential Model (DPM), which has implemented in the computation fluid dynamic CFD code OpenFoam. Hence, as second step, 2D-CFD simulations of the electro-hydrodynamic body forces induced by the microscale DBDPA have been performed, based on the previously predicted charge densities at the operating conditions. Quiescent flow over a dielectric barrier discharge actuator has been simulated using the plasma-fluid model. The novel modelling framework has been validated with experimental data.
Highlights
Dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator (DBD-PA) technology has demonstrated to be interesting in active flow control systems for fluidic machinery and aeronautic foils applications, e.g. boundary layer transition and turbulence control [1, 2] and noises reduction [3, 4]
The present work aims to provide a novel numerical methodology for the analysis of the flow field modification induced by a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator (DBD-PA): it relates the zero-dimensional analysis of the chemistry of the plasma discharge in the gas flow to momentum transfer and flow acceleration estimated by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) computations
Plasma actuator performances heavily depend on the net charge generated during the discharge: a novel numerical methodology for the analysis of the flow field modification induced by the micro DBD-PA has been developed
Summary
Dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator (DBD-PA) technology has demonstrated to be interesting in active flow control systems for fluidic machinery and aeronautic foils applications, e.g. boundary layer transition and turbulence control [1, 2] and noises reduction [3, 4]. Despite several demonstrations of DBD effectiveness in a laboratory scale [24], a full integration of such devices into aero-engine control systems is still far from being demonstrated [25] To this last purpose, the development of reliable, accurate and flexible numerical models is of a primary importance since it would enable for DBD-PA performance prediction and the consequent reduction of the strong complexity affecting the DBD-PA design [26]. The development of reliable, accurate and flexible numerical models is of a primary importance since it would enable for DBD-PA performance prediction and the consequent reduction of the strong complexity affecting the DBD-PA design [26] In this context, the present work aims to provide a novel numerical methodology for the analysis of the flow field modification induced by a DBD-PA: it relates the zero-dimensional analysis of the chemistry of the plasma discharge in the gas flow to momentum transfer and flow acceleration estimated by means of CFD computations. The validation enables for further investigations at different operating conditions, DBD-PA geometry and electrical feedings
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