Simulating the Effect of Plasma Actuators on the Three-Dimensionality of the Wake of a Cylinder in a Crossflow
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Date
2014-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Bluff body flow control techniques are essential when assessing the impact of an aerodynamic load to a structural response or aerodynamic efficiency. Plasma actuators are a unique active flow control technique due to their fast response time, lack of moving parts, low mass, purely electric nature and simple integration into many geometries. These actuators add momentum to the boundary layer from ionized plasma acting as a body force on the neutral air, resulting in different flow structures. In this research, the cylinder is in a flow regime where von Kármán and Kelvin-Helmholtz shedding occurs; resulting in transient pressure variations which induce vibrations on the cylinder, possibly triggering resonance and leading to structural failure. Plasma actuators have proven effective in reducing or virtually eliminating shedding from occurring. Previous fluid dynamic simulations have used actuators across the entire span of the cylinder, resulting in a two dimensional impact on the wake. This research uses staggered actuators across the span of the cylinder, so certain regions will experience a velocity change, while other regions will not; a three dimensional wake effect. All simulations use a momentum source coupled into the momentum equation of the Navier-Stokes equations with a pressure-based laminar solver, SIMPLE pressure-velocity coupling, and a time step of .001s. The ability to simulate the three dimensionality effect of the plasma actuators helps provide insight if staggered actuators produce a similar effect as spanwise actuators. Since simulations are cost and relatively time effective, the model can be extended to other scenarios to learn if plasma actuators can provide a similar response as they do for a cylinder in a crossflow.
Description
Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award
Keywords
Flow Control Plasma Actuators