In this work we present the application of the new synthetic jet actuator (SJA) to flow separation control over a NACA 0015 wing. The actuator is compact enough to fit in the interior of the wing that has a chord of 0.375 m. The wing was tested in the Texas A&M University Aerospace Engineering 3 ft×4 ft wind tunnel. An experimental investigation into the effects of the synthetic jet actuator on the performance of the wing is described. Emphasis is placed on the capabilities of the actuator to control the separation of the flow over the wing at high angles of attack. The results include force balance measurements, on surface and off surface flow visualization, surface pressure measurements, and wake surveys. All of the reported tests were performed at a free-stream velocity of 35 m/s, corresponding to a Reynolds number of 8.96×105. The angle of attack was varied from −2.0 deg to 29.0 deg. For the results presented, at angles of attack lower than 10 deg, the actuator has minimal effects. At higher angles of attack, the SJA delays the onset of stall. The use of the actuator causes an 80% increase in the maximum lift coefficient, while the angle at which stall occurs is increased from 12 to 18 deg. The drag on the wing is decreased as a consequence of SJA actuation. For angles of attack larger than 18 deg, where the wing experiences massive separation, the SJA still provides a moderate amount of lift augmentation compared to the unforced case. At angles of attack larger than 25°, a larger frequency of actuation is required to produce significant effects.
Although the potential of synthetic jets as flow separation control actuators has been demonstrated in the existing literature, there is a large gap between the synthetic jet actuators (SJA) used in laboratory demonstrations and the SJAs needed in realistic, full-scale applications, in terms of compactness, weight, efficiency, control authority and power density. In most cases, the SJAs used in demonstrations are either too large or too weak for realistic applications. In this work, we present the development of a new class of high-power synthetic jet actuators for realistic flow control applications. The operating principle of the actuator is the same as that of crankshaft driven piston engines, which makes a significant part of the technology necessary for the actuator development available off-the-shelf. The design of the actuator is modular and scalable. Several “building block” units can be stacked in series to create the actuator of the desired size. Moreover, active exit slot reconfiguration, in the form of variable exit slot width, decouples the actuator frequency from the actuator jet momentum coefficient and allows the user to set the two independently (within limits). Part I of this paper presents the design, fabrication and bench top characterization of the actuator. Several versions of the actuator were designed, built and tested, leading up to the development of a six-piston compact actuator that has a maximum power consumption of 1200 W (1.6 hp) and can produce (for the tested conditions) peak exit velocities as high as 124 m/s. In Part II, the actuator was housed in the interior of a NACA0015 profiled wing with a chord of 0.375 m (14.75 inches). The assembly’s performance in controlling flow separation was studied in the wind tunnel.
Standard battery testing procedure consists of discharging the battery at constant current. However, for battery powered aircraft application, consideration of the cruise portion of the flight envelope suggests that power should be kept constant, implying that battery characterization should occur over a constant power discharge. Consequently, to take advantage of existing battery discharge curves it would be useful to have a methodology that can extract a constant power discharge curve from a constant current discharge curve. The development of such a methodology for lithium batteries is described in this article.
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