Experimental investigation of influence of sliding discharge DBD plasma on low-speed boundary layer

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the effects of surface sliding discharge of a dielectric barrier discharge (SL-DBD) plasma actuator on the boundary layer flow using the time-resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. According to the PIV measurements, the peak-shaped mean jet flow is induced by the SL-DBD plasma actuator in quiescent air. Under the freestream of U∞ = 6 m/s on the flat plate, the results show that the streamwise velocity fluctuation induced by SL-DBD plasma is increased pronouncedly at the downstream of the actuator. Meanwhile, the mean flow velocity increases obviously in the downstream of the actuator. The instantaneous results show the formation of the vorticity at the bottom of the boundary layer after the plasma excitation. In addition, the vorticity has the behavior to lift up, possibly because of the induced peak-shaped jet.