Modified split-potential model for modeling the effect of DBD plasma actuators in high altitude flow control

• A new model is developed by introducing correct scale of plasma generated thrust.
• The model is able to consider various influencing plasma parameters.
• The model correctly calculates the voltage-thrust dependency.
• The present model captures the nonlinear changes in thrust due to pressure correctly.
• Comparison with experiments confirms the predictive capability of the model.

Surface DBD plasma actuators are novel means of actively controlling flow. They have shown promising ability in reducing drag, postponing transition from laminar to turbulent flow, suppression of separation, noise reduction and enhancement of mixing in different applications. The CFD simulation of the effect of plasma actuator in such kind of applications could provide more information, and insight, for optimization and design of close looped flow control systems. However, the fluid models for simulating the formation of the plasma and its effect are computationally expensive such that, although they provide more detailed information about the physics related to the formation plasma, they are still not viable to be used in large scale CFD simulations. In this paper, we present the modified version of a simpler model that predicts the thrust generated by the plasma actuator with acceptable accuracy and can be easily incorporated in CFD calculations. This model is also free of empirical fitting parameters, being based on pure flow physics scaling.