The Development of Active Flow Control Devices From Shape Memory Alloys for the Convective Cooling of Heated Surfaces

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the convective heat transfer of heated surfaces through the use of active flow control devices. An investigation has been carried out into the use of two flow control design configurations manufactured from Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) which are activated at specified temperatures. In this design, a high surface temperature would activate rectangular flaps to change shape and protrude at a 45° angle of attack. This protrusion would generate longitudinal vortices and at the same time allow air to flow into cooling channels underneath the flaps, cooling a heated surface downstream of the flow control device. One- and two-channel flow control configurations were explored in this work. The flow control device was made from pre-alloyed powders of SMA material in a rapid prototyping process known as Selective Laser Melting (SLM). It was tested for its heat transfer enhancement in an open test section wind tunnel supplied with low velocity air flow. Infrared thermography was used to evaluate the surface temperatures of the downstream heated surface. Promising results were obtained for the flow control design when the heated surface temperatures were varied from 20 °C to 85 °C. In the one-channel configuration, the flow control device in its activated shape increased heat transfer to a maximum of 50% compared to its deactivated shape. The activated flow control device in the two-channel configuration experienced a heat transfer enhancement of up to 90% compared to when it is deactivated.