Lift and drag performances of an axisymmetric airfoil controlled by plasma actuator

A Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) is mounted at the leading edge of a NACA 0015 airfoil model. The effects of steady and unsteady actuations on the lift and drag coefficients are investigated by time-averaged force measurements. Results demonstrate that the stall regime can be delayed of one or two degrees while the drag coefficient is reduced. The aerodynamic performances are enhanced for high voltage frequency coinciding with the natural vortex shedding frequency measured here by time-resolved PIV. The last part of the paper deals with a periodic excitation which improves the actuation efficiency.