Analysis of airflow on an airfoil using electro-hydrodynamic actuators

Nowadays the application of plasma actuators has drawn much attention due to the possibility of creating a volumetric force and, therefore, controlling airflow around rigid bodies. These actuators are among common flow control methods because of availability, lack of need for special repairs, very short response time, and low power consumption. The aim of this study is to reduce the flow separation region and delay the stall angle. Therefore, the airflow over a NACA 0012 airfoil and with a Reynolds number of 1.4×10^6 was simulated using Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model. In the first step, the lift coefficients in the plasma-off mode were investigated at different angles. The stall angle of attack was shown to be 15°. Then, the lift coefficients and the stall angle for different Reynolds numbers were compared. In the second step, the plasma (DBD) actuator was defined using UDF code in Ansys Fluent software as the body force exerted on the airfoil. Plasma activation led to an increase in the lift coefficients at different angles compared to the plasma-off mode. Subsequently, it was shown that the plasma actuator minimizes the flow separation area on the airfoil. Defining this actuator at an optimal position at a constant RE of 1.4×10^6 on a NACA 0012 airfoil where flow separation occurs changed the stall angle of the airfoil from 15° under normal conditions to 19°. The results of the lift coefficient with the help of plasma actuators showed that the airflow on the airfoil is well controlled at sensitive attack angles.