Plasma Actuator Tip Flow Control

This GE study represents the first open literature report of plasma actuators actually used on gas turbine blading at representative engine flow conditions. The exact mechanisms of interaction between weakly ionized gas and neutral air are still under study; however, the collisional processes between them are responsible for the momentum transfer causing the plasma actuator flow. Tip clearance effects are especially critical in gas turbine high-pressure compressors, where they are a large source of aerodynamic loss and stall inducing blockage. In the Dusseldorf discussion on the GE paper, it has been reported that the electronics associated with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) are continuously being improved and miniaturized. Voltages needed are being reduced, and there is an unexplored area involving the great operational flexibility offered by frequency control. Given the flexible and superior response time of modern electronics, it should be possible to adjust DBD operation in response to transient flow phenomena associated with blade passing frequency.