Pressure and Fluid Flow Characteristics of Channel Flow with DBD Plasma Actuator

Abstract

An experimental study is performed for channel flow with the dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator (DBD-PA). The plasma actuator consists of two metallic electrodes mounted on both sides of a dielectric plate. The actuator is installed on the bottom wall of a channel passage. The channel height H is changed 6mm and 9mm, and the Reynolds number based on the bulk velocity and hydraulic diameter is varied from 800 to 7000. The wall static pressure is measured at the upper wall of the channel, and the pipe friction factor is evaluated. The velocity profiles are measured by a PIV system at the Reynolds number of 2000 and 4000. The results show that the pipe friction factor decreases by the effect of induced flow with the plasma actuator. The effect is remarkable in the laminar flow region. At the same Reynolds number, the wall static pressure distribution and pipe friction factor remain unaffected by the channel height. When the wave form with voltage of 6 kV and frequency of 2 kHz is applied to the electrode, the friction factor reduction rate of 31% is confirmed in the laminar flow region.