Active flow control over a wing model using synthetic-jet-actuator arrays

Abstract

In this study, synthetic-jet-actuator (SJA) arrays were designed, implemented, and tested on a straight-wing model for flow separation control. First, the characteristics of a single SJA were determined. The jet velocity appears a peak between 400 and 500 Hz, which corresponds to the SJA’s Helmholtz resonance frequency. Second, two arrays of such SJAs were implemented at different chordwise locations on a straight-wing model. Force balance measurements and power spectrum analysis showed that both SJA arrays are able to effectively delay flow separation, with the front SJA array more effective than the rear one. For the front array, the improvement in CL and CD was 27.4% and 19.6%, respectively.