Active Control of Flow and Turbomachinery

• FLOW SEPARATION CONTROL WITH ACTIVE FLOW CONTROL DEVICES

In the field of active flow control devices for active separation control have been developed and characterized experimentally and numerically. In particular three different techniques have been investigated: the actuation by steady jet, by zero net mass flux Synthetic Jet (SJA) and plasma actuator. Several studies were carried out using a CFD analysis applied to study the suppression of the boundary layer separation into a highly-loaded subsonic compressor stator cascade, by these different active flow control techniques. Micro Plasma actuators were designed and fabricated in collaboration with the CNR-IMM of Lecce. A dedicated activity was devoted to microelectronic technology adoption for copper (Cu) electrode fabrication on glass–reinforced epoxy laminate (FR4) substrates, together with batch production of electrodes with photolithographic techniques. The devices have been experimentally characterized through infrared camera, plasma discharge visualizations (intensified camera) and determination of the velocity field by Particle Image Velocimetry "PIV" and Laser Doppler Anemometer. An experimental setup and numerical investigations have been implemented for the study of the active flow control using plasma actuators to reattach the simulated separation flow over the suction surface of a low-pressure turbine blade at low Reynolds number. The activities on active flow control are in collaboration with the Center for Research in Sustainable Aviation, University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies,Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T6, Canada.

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