Unsteady aspect of the electrohydrodynamic force produced by surface dielectric barrier discharge actuators

Abstract

The time-resolved electrohydrodynamic force produced by single dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) actuators used for airflow control is computed from electric wind velocity measurements. Two actuator designs are investigated: a plate-to-plate and a wire-to-plate surface DBD because each of them produces a different discharge current. Results show that: (1) the high voltage active electrode shape plays a key role in the plasma physics, (2) the body force is highly unsteady with fluctuations up to about ten times its time-averaged value, and (3) the typical plate-to-plate DBD produces a positive force during the positive half-cycle and a negative force during the negative half-cycle when both cycles result in a positive force with the wire-to-plate DBD.