Two-dimensional numerical modeling of interaction of micro-shock wave generated by nanosecond plasma actuators and transonic flow

The influence of nanosecond pulse-driven, surface-mounted dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) actuators on a transonic flow is studied numerically. An airfoil representing turbomachinery blades in transonic flow is considered as a test case. A two-dimensional fluid model of DBD is used to describe the plasma dynamics. The model couples fluid discharge equations with compressible Navier–Stokes equations. Simulations were conducted with an airfoil of NACA 3506 profile in a transonic condition of M=0.75M=0.75. When a nanosecond pulse voltage is used, with a rise and a decay time of the order of nanoseconds, a significant amount of energy is transferred in a short time from the plasma to the fluid, which leads to the formation of micro-shock waves and therefore to the modification of flow features. Moreover, a plasma energy deposition model is developed and presented by using the results of the plasma discharge model.