Turbulent separated shear flow control by surface plasma actuator: experimental optimization by genetic algorithm approach

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00348-015-2107-3The potential benefits of active flow control are no more debated. Among many others applications, flow control provides an effective mean for manipulating turbulent separated flows. Here, a nonthermal surface plasma discharge (dielectric barrier discharge) is installed at the step corner of a backward-facing step (U0 = 15 m/s, Reh = 30,000, Re¿ = 1650). Wall pressure sensors are used to estimate the reattaching location downstream of the step (objective function #1) and also to measure the wall pressure fluctuation coefficients (objective function #2). An autonomous multi-variable optimization by genetic algorithm is implemented in an experiment for optimizing simultaneously the voltage amplitude, the burst frequency and the duty cycle of the high-voltage signal producing the surface plasma discharge. The single-objective optimization problems concern alternatively the minimization of the objective function #1 and the maximization of the objective function #2. The present paper demonstrates that when coupled with the plasma actuator and the wall pressure sensors, the genetic algorithm can find the optimum forcing conditions in only a few generations. At the end of the iterative search process, the minimum reattaching position is achieved by forcing the flow at the shear layer mode where a large spreading rate is obtained by increasing the periodicity of the vortex street and by enhancing the vortex pairing process. The objective function #2 is maximized for an actuation at half the shear layer mode. In this specific forcing mode, time-resolved PIV shows that the vortex pairing is reduced and that the strong fluctuations of the wall pressure coefficients result from the periodic passages of flow structures whose size corresponds to the height of the step model.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Shear Layer and Shedding Modes Excitations of a Backward-Facing Step Flow by Surface Plasma Discharge

International audienceThe present experimental study interests in determining the influence of a linear plasma actuator (dielectric barrier discharge) on the development of a separated turbulent shear layer. More specifically, the plasma actuator is used to impose periodic perturbations at the step corner of a backward-facing step. Two different modes of excitation are explored. One concerns the shear layer mode of instability, a mode whose amplification leads to a minimization of the recirculation bubble. The present investigation shows how a dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator can impose periodic perturbations that excite the shear layer mode and result in a strong regularization of the vortex street. The case of excitation at the shedding mode is also experimentally investigated using a DBD actuator. The measurements show the increase in Reynolds stress caused by this excitation as well as the specific growing mechanism of the shear layer. Indeed, phase-averaged flow measurements highlights the difference in the mechanism of development of the shear layer regarding the type of excitation used, the shear layer mode promoting a growing mechanism by fluid entrainment while the shedding mode enhancing the pairing of successive vortical flow structures