Experimental research in aerodynamic control with electric and electromagnetic fields

Fifty years ago, publications began to discuss the possibilities of electromagnetic flow control (EMFC) to improve aerodynamic performance. This led to an era of research that focused on coupling the fundamentals of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) with propulsion, control, and power generation systems. Unfortunately, very few designs made it past an exploratory phase as, among other issues, power consumption was unreasonably high. Recent proposed advancements in technology like the MARIAH hypersonic wind tunnel and the AJAX scramjet engine concepts have led to a new phase of MHD research in the aerospace industry, with many interdisciplinary applications. Compared with propulsion systems and channel flow accelerators, EMFC concepts applied to control surface aerodynamics have not seen the same level of advancement that may eventually produce a device that can be integrated with an aircraft or missile. The purpose of this paper is to review the overall feasibility of the different electric and EMFC concepts. Emphasis is placed on EMFC with high voltage ionization sources and experimental work.