Supersonic Flow Control of Swept Shock Wave / Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions using Plasma Actuators

What is it about?

Three dimensional shock-wave/boundary layer interactions are encountered frequently in supersonic flight, and are inimical to its performance. Plasma based flow control techniques inhibit these adverse effects by energizing the flow using an external power source. We have applied these plasma actuators on a flowfield generated by a sharp-fin mounted on a flat plate, and investigated the concomitant effects.

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Why is it important?

Plasma flow control techniques have recently gained popularity owing to its simplistic design, quick response times and high scalability. In the past, they have been tested extensively on two-dimensional shock-wave/boundary layer interactions, both experimentally and numerically. This study applies the plasma actuators on a three-dimensional flowfield generated by a sharp-fin geometry, which has not been done previously. This is an important step towards implementing these actuators in practical aerospace applications, which exhibit complex interactions such as those investigated here.