The Effects of Single and Multiple Dielectric Barrier Discharge Characteristics on Flow Separation Control over NACA0012 Airfoil

The performances of single and multiple plasma actuators on NACA 0012 airfoil at the Reynolds number of one million are investigated. A numerical method is used for flow simulation in solving the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations together with the SST-kω turbulence model. Maxwell’s equations are also used for simulation of the electro-hydrodynamic (EHD) field using the Suzen model. The effect of the plasma actuator has been modeled at various angles of attack and actuator voltages. Initially, simulations are performed for a single actuator at different positions, and then for two actuators. Various simulations are performed for different angles of attack, voltages, and actuator positions. The results for the lift coefficient, the drag coefficient, and the aerodynamic efficiency are presented. An analysis of the results showed that in a single-actuator configuration, the installation position significantly affects the lift coefficient. In this case, the leading edge is the best point for actuator installation. Using two actuators increased the lift coefficient and decreased the drag coefficient, with the magnitude of these changes depending on the voltage and the angle of attack.