Numerical Simulation of the Flow Induced by a Pair of Plasma Actuators on a Circular Cylinder in Quiescent Air

  • ZHU Zihao
Expand
  • College of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hongkong, Hongkong 999077, China

Online published: 2025-10-29

Copyright

Science Press, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025

Abstract

The Dielectric-Barrier-Discharge (DBD) plasma actuator is a highly efficient active flow control device, being widely recognized for its potential applications in boundary layer separation control. While many researchers have explored the practical implementation and performance of DBD plasma actuators in various aerodynamic contexts, the fundamental physical mechanisms governing plasma-induced flow control remain relatively under-explored. The present study utilizes numerical simulation to investigate the plasma-induced flow dynamics around a circular cylinder, whose configuration is selected due to its geometric simplicity and the prominent boundary layer separation that occurs due to its highly curved surface. The flow field is simulated by solving the Unsteady Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (URANS) equations while the plasma actuation effect is incorporated through a well-known mathematical model. In this study, two DBD plasma actuators are symmetrically installed on the left and right sides of the cylinder. The ambient air is set to be initially quiescent and the resulting flow field is driven entirely by the plasma. This research makes two primary contributions. First, the flow fields generated under duty-cycle actuation signals are simulated and validated against existing experimental data. Particular attention is given to the generation, evolution and propagation of vortex structures arising from different actuation modes. Second, a detailed analysis is conducted on how a time-varying plasma body force affects the distribution of pressure force, skin friction and momentum transfer.

Cite this article

ZHU Zihao . Numerical Simulation of the Flow Induced by a Pair of Plasma Actuators on a Circular Cylinder in Quiescent Air[J]. Journal of Thermal Science, 2025 , 34(6) : 2274 -2286 . DOI: 10.1007/s11630-025-2206-2

References

[1] Cai J., Tian Y., Meng X., et al., An experimental study of icing control using DBD plasma actuator. Experimental Fluids, 2017, 58: 102.
[2] Meng X., Hu H., Li C., et al., Mechanism study of coupled aerodynamic and thermal effects using plasma actuation for anti-icing. Physics of Fluids, 2019, 31(3): 037103.
[3] Wei B., Wu Y., Liang H., et al., Performance and mechanism analysis of nanosecond pulsed surface dielectric barrier discharge based plasma deicer. Physics of Fluids, 2019, 31(9): 091701.
[4] Zhu Y., Wu Y., Wei B., et al., Nanosecond-pulsed dielectric barrier discharge-based plasma-assisted anti-icing: modeling and mechanism analysis. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 2020, 53(14): 145205.
[5] Liu Y., Kolbakir C., Hu H., et al., An experimental study on the thermal effects of duty-cycled plasma actuation pertinent to aircraft icing mitigation. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2019, 136: 864–876.
[6] Zhou W., Liu Y., Hu H., et al., Utilization of thermal effect induced by plasma generation for aircraft icing mitigation. AIAA Journal, 2018, 56(3): 1–8.
[7] Tian Y., Zhang Z., Cai J., et al., Experimental study of an anti-icing method over an airfoil based on pulsed dielectric barrier discharge plasma. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2018, 31(7): 1449–1460.
[8] Yu J., Wang Z., Chen F., et al., Large eddy simulation of the elliptic jets in film cooling controlled by dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators with an improved model. Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2018, 140(12): 122001.
[9] Li G., Chen F. Li L., et al., Large eddy simulation of the effects of plasma actuation strength on film cooling efficiency. Plasma Science and Technology, 2016, 18(11): 1101.
[10] Zong H., Pelt T., Kotsonis M., Airfoil flow separation control with plasma synthetic jets at moderate Reynolds number. Experiments in Fluids, 2018, 59: 169.
[11] Li Y., Wu Y., Zhou M., et al., Control of the corner separation in a compressor cascade by steady and unsteady plasma aerodynamic actuation. Experiments in Fluids, 2010, 48: 1015–1023.
[12] Feng L., Jukes T., Choi K., et al., Flow control over a naca0012 airfoil using dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator with a gurney flap. Experiments in Fluids, 2012, 52: 1533–1546.
[13] Gang L., Xu Y., Bin L., et al., Control of end wall secondary flow in a compressor cascade with dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuation. Science in China Series E: Technological Sciences, 2009, 52(12): 3715–3721.
[14] Zhang X., Li H., Huang Y., et al., Leading-edge flow separation control over an airfoil using a symmetrical dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2019, 32(5): 1190–1203.
[15] Han M., Li J., Niu Z., et al., Aerodynamic performance enhancement of a flying wing using nanosecond pulsed DBD plasma actuator, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2015, 28(2): 377–384.
[16] Phan M., Shin J., Numerical investigation of aerodynamic flow actuation produced by surface plasma actuator on 2D oscillating airfoil. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2016, 29(4): 882–892.
[17] Zhao X., Li Y., Wu Y., et al., Numerical investigation of flow separation control on a highly loaded compressor cascade by plasma aerodynamic actuation. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics 2012, 25(3): 349–360.
[18] Zhao G., Li Y., Hua L., et al., Flow separation control on swept wing with nanosecond pulse driven DBD plasma actuators. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2015, 28(2): 368–376.
[19] Sheng J., Wu Y., Zhang H., et al., Flow control effect of spanwise distributed pulsed arc discharge plasma actuation on supersonic compressor cascade flow. Journal of Thermal Science, 2022, 31(5): 1723–1733.
[20] Hu X., Gao C., Hao J., et al., Experimental study of rotor flow separation control using a new type of dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator, Journal of Thermal Science, 2019, 28(2): 354–359.
[21] Shahriari N., Kollert M., Hanifi A., Control of a swept wing boundary layer using ring-type plasma actuators. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2018, 884: 36–60
[22] Dorr P., Kloker M., Crossflow transition control by upstream flow deformation using plasma actuators, Journal of Applied Physics, 2017, 121(6): 063303.
[23] Abe T., Takizawa Y., Sato S., et al., Experimental study of controlling flow transition using surface dielectric barrier discharge actuator. AIAA Journal, 2008, 46(9): 30985.
[24] Li Y., Zhang X., Huang X., The use of plasma actuators for bluff body broadband noise control. Experiments in Fluids, 2010, 49: 367–377.
[25] Huang X., Zhang X., Streamwise and spanwise plasma actuators for flow-induced cavity noise control. Physics of Fluids, 2008, 20(3): 037101.
[26] Thomas F., Kozlov A., Corke T., Plasma actuators for cylinder flow control and noise reduction. AIAA Journal, 2008, 46(8): 1206554.
[27] Li Y., Wang X., Zhang D., Control strategies for aircraft airframe noise reduction. Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, 2013, 26(2): 249–260.
[28] Lou H., Alvi F., Shih C., Active and adaptive control of supersonic impinging jets. AIAA Journal, 2006, 44(1): 2001–3027.
[29] Qi L., Feng H., Zhang R., et al., Control of the noise production in a supersonic jet impinging an inclined plate using grooved surface. Applied Acoustics, 2022, 199(7): 108992.
[30] Xue M., Gao C., Xi H., at al., Vortices induced by a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator under burst-mode actuation. AIAA Journal, 2020, 58(6): 57764.
[31] Zhu Z., Fradera-Soler P., Jo W., et al., Numerical simulation of flow field around a square cylinder under plasma actuator control. Physics of Fluids, 2021, 33(12): 123611.
[32] Hui W., Meng X., Li H., at al., Flow induced by a pair of plasma actuators on a circular cylinder in still air under duty-cycle actuation. Physics of Fluids, 2022, 34(12): 123613.
[33] Suzen Y., Huang P., Simulations of flow separation control using plasma actuators. 44th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, Nevada, 2006, https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2006-877.
[34] Halal Y., Marques C., Rocha L., et al., Numerical study of turbulent air and water flows in a nozzle based on the Coanda effect. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 2019, 7(2): 7020021.
Outlines

/