Serpentine geometry plasma actuators for flow control

In this paper, a curved class of plasma actuator geometries is presented. The intension of this paper is to extend the versatility of a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator by modifying the geometry of its electrodes, so that the plasma generated body force is able to excite a broader spectrum of flow physics than plasma actuators with a more standard geometry. Two examples of flow control are demonstrated numerically. An example of this class of actuators is shown to generate boundary layer streaks, which can be used to accelerate or delay the laminar to turbulent transition process, depending on how they are applied. Simulations of a low Reynolds number airfoil are also performed using additional examples of this class of actuators, where it is shown that this plasma actuator geometry is able to introduce energy into and excite a secondary instability mode and increase unsteady kinetic energy in the boundary layer. These two cases show that this general class of curved actuators possesses an increased versatility with respect to the standard geometry actuators.