CONTROL OF FLOW AROUND SIMULATED AIRFOIL USING PLASMA ELECTRODE WITH HIGH DURABILITY DESIGN

Abstract

To study the airflow control effect of a plasma actuator (PA) on a simulated airfoil (equipped with a passive control wing on the upper edge of a photovoltaic cell), particle image velocim etry (PIV) measurements were carried out in the outdoors. A plasma electrode developed by Asahi Rubber Inc. is installed at the rear end of the passive control wing. As tracers for PIV measurement, we used soap bub bles generated from two types of supply de vices (a coaxial triple tube nozzle generator and a rotating cylindrical generator). The former can generate microbubbles with a diameter of about 0.9 mm, and the latter can generate many bubbles with a diameter of about 5 mm. Under the PA_OFF condition, t he wind speed measured by the propeller anemometer and the average wind speed measured by the PIV showed good agreement. It was confirmed that outdoor PIV measurement is possible by using soap bubbles as a tracer. We also confirmed the airflow control effe ct of the plasma actuator in the field.