Actuators are transducers that convert an electrical signal to a desired physical quantity. Active flow control actuators modify a flow by providing an electronically controllable disturbance. The field of active flow control has witnessed explosive growth in the variety of actuators, which is a testament to both the importance and challenges associated with actuator design. This review provides a framework for the discussion of actuator specifications, characteristics, selection, design, and classification for aeronautical applications. Actuator fundamentals are discussed, and various popular actuator types used in low-to-moderate speed flows are then described, including fluidic, moving object/surface, and plasma actuators. We attempt to highlight the strengths and inevitable drawbacks of each and highlight potential future research directions.

Actuators for Active Flow Control

The internal flow characteristics of a fluidic oscillator were investigated experimentally. Particle image velocimetry and time-resolved pressure measurements were employed in water to visualize and quantify the internal flow patterns. The method of proper orthogonal decomposition was applied to random flow field snap shots for phase reconstruction of one oscillation cycle. The resulting phase-averaged information provides detailed insight into the oscillation mechanism as well as into the interaction between the main chamber of the oscillator and its feedback channels. A growing recirculation bubble between the main jet and the attachment wall is identified as an underlying mechanism that causes the main jet to oscillate. The flow field measurements are complemented by time-resolved pressure measurements at various internal locations which yield additional comprehension of the switching behavior and accompanying timescales. Geometrical features, in particular at the inlet and outlet of the mixing chamber, are found to have a crucial impact on important flow characteristics such as oscillation frequency and jet deflection.

Experimental study of the internal flow structures inside a fluidic oscillator

Active Flow Control (AFC) experiments performed at the Caltech Lucas Adaptive Wall Wind Tunnel on a 12%-thick, generic vertical tail model indicated that sweeping jets emanating from the trailing edge (TE) of the vertical stabilizer significantly increased the side force coefficient for a wide range of rudder deflection angles and yaw angles at free-stream velocities approaching takeoff rotation speed. The results indicated that 2% blowing momentum coefficient (C(sub mu) increased the side force in excess of 50% at the maximum conventional rudder deflection angle in the absence of yaw. Even C(sub mu) = 0.5% increased the side force in excess of 20% under these conditions. This effort was sponsored by the NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project and the successful demonstration of this flow-control application could have far reaching implications. It could lead to effective applications of AFC technologies on key aircraft control surfaces and lift enhancing devices (flaps) that would aid in reduction of fuel consumption through a decrease in size and weight of wings and control surfaces or a reduction of the noise footprint due to steeper climb and descent.

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Performance Enhancement of a Vertical Tail Model with Sweeping Jet Actuators

This review provides a detailed discussion of the historical development of fluidic oscillators and their application to flow control. Fluidic oscillators were initially developed in the 1960’s for a variety of applications, and have seen resurgent interest for their suitability for modern flow control applications. The devices produce an oscillating jet of fluid over a wide fan angle and have no moving parts, making them an attractive actuator concept. This review aims to highlight the most important historical papers of relevance to modern fluidic oscillator development. The reviewed works will extend from the early 1960’s to the most recent investigations, with a focus on the fundamental operating mechanisms of fluidic oscillators. The authors present this review as a short synopsis of fluidic oscillators for flow control, while a more comprehensive review will be submitted for archival publication in the near future.

A Review of Fluidic Oscillator Development

Parameters governing separation control by sweeping jet actuators are investigated experimentally on a generic “Multiple Flap Airfoil” (MFA). Neither the flow rate nor the momentum input is found to be a sole parameter governing the lift for varying distance between adjacent actuators. However, the product of the mass flow coefficient and a square root of the momentum coefficient collapses the lift onto a single curve regardless of the actuator spacing. Surface flow visualization on the flap suggests the formation of counterrotating pairs of streamwise vortices caused by the interaction of neighboring jets. The actuation intensity required to attach the flow increases with increasing distance from the flap shoulder and increasing flap deflection. No obvious dependence of the ideal actuation location on flap deflection, angle of attack, or actuation intensity is found within the tested range. Comparisons between experimental and numerical results reveal a strong dependence on the thickness of the last flap segment at its hinge. In absence of this geometrical effect potential flow solution appears to be a suitable predictor for the obtainable lift. The flap size affects the achievable lift, the accompanying drag, the required flap deflection, and actuation intensity. By controlling separation the range of achievable lift coefficients is doubled without significant penalty in drag even when considering a safety margin for the maximum applicable incidence.

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Parameters Governing Separation Control with Sweeping Jet Actuators

Experiments aimed at delaying flow separation through discrete jets pointing in the direction of streaming and sweeping side to side along the span were conducted on a V-22 airfoil with and without deflected trailing-edge flaps. The results indicated substantial drag reduction and lift increase at moderately low inputs of mass and momentum. Additional experiments were carried out on a semispan V-22 wing/nacelle combination, and they too provided an increase in lift-to-drag ratio L/D of approximately 60% (although active flow control was applied to the wing only). The effectiveness of the sweeping jets on reducing the download force acting on a V-22 full-span powered model in hover was also examined. A 29% reduction in download was realized using the embedded sweeping jets, corresponding approximately to a 2000 1b increase in hover lift.

Discrete Sweeping Jets as Tools for Improving the Performance of the V-22

Experiments aimed at delaying flow separation through discrete jets pointing in the direction of streaming and sweeping side-to-side along the span were conducted on two airfoils, a NACA0015 and a V-22 airfoil with and without deflected trailing edge flaps. The results indicated substantial drag reduction and lift increase at moderately low inputs of mass and momentum. Additional experiments were carried out on a semi-span V-22 wingnacelle combination and they too provided an increase in L/D of approximately 60%, even with the presence of nacelle drag and induced drag. The effectiveness of the sweeping jets on reducing the download force acting on a V-22 powered model in hover was also examined. A 29% reduction in download was realized using the embedded sweeping jets.

Discrete Sweeping Jets as Tools for Separation Control

A twin jet was tested in anechoic facilities at the University of Arizona and NASA Langley Research Center to determine the effectiveness of flexible filaments in jet noise reduction. Results were strongly dependent on filament diameter and material, the most effective of which was found to be Tex 800 Kevlar. In the best configurations, the filaments consistently eliminated screech tones and reduced overall sound pressure level by 3 dB or more. Additionally, broadband shock noise was diminished by more than 5 dB over certain audible frequency ranges. Larger-scale tests run at NASA showed comparable reductions in overall sound pressure level and broadband shock-associated noise.

Nathaniel J. Lucas

Papers

Discrete Sweeping Jets as Tools for Improving the Performance of the V-22

Discrete Sweeping Jets as Tools for Separation Control

Reducing the noise emanating from a twin jet nozzle using flexible filaments