Experimental Study On Aerodynamic Drag Reduction With Dielectric-Barrier-Discharge Plasma On The Wing

For civil aviation aircraft,increasing lift and reducing drag to improve the lift drag ratio is the most direct and effective way to reduce fuel consumption and improve the economy of the aircraft.The drag generated by the wing contributes up to 60% of the total aerodynamic drag of the aircraft.Therefore,it is of great significance to study drag reduction methods applied to the wing.Dielectric-barrier-discharge(DBD)plasma flow-control technology has advantages over other drag reduction technologies for reducing wing drag due to its simple structure,fast response,and easy control.In this work,a DBD plasma experimental platform was established.In addition,the effects of operating parameters were studied through the actuator experiments.The experimental results show that the spacing between the upper and lower electrodes and the thickness of the dielectric layer of the actuator affected the actuating voltage of the plasma.The dielectric barrier discharge plasma required a higher voltage to generate plasma with larger spacing between the electrodes and thicker dielectric layer.A plasma drag reduction experimental platform,which combines wind tunnel equipment and force measurement system,was established based on the plasma experimental platform.The drag reduction effect of the plasma actuator on the wing surface was studied through drag reduction experiments on NACA0015 airfoil.The results show that the drag coefficient of the wing could be reduced by DBD plasma,and the drag reduction effect of the plasma can be more than 30% at low speeds and small angles of attack.When supplying with high frequency and high voltage AC power,the drag reduction effect of DBD plasma increases with increases in supply voltage.