We address the problem of controlling the unsteady flow separation over an aerofoil,
using plasma actuators. Despite the complexity of the dynamics of interest, we show
how the problem of controlling flow separation can be formulated as a simple output
regulation problem, so that a simple control strategy may be used. Different
configurations are tested, in order to identify optimal positions of the actuator/sensor
pairs along the aerofoil, as well as the corresponding references for the available
real-time velocity measurements. A multi- objective deterministic particle swarm optimization
algorithm is applied to identify the set of non dominated configurations considering as objectives
the time-averaged input signal and the drag- to-lift ratio. Accurate numerical simulations of
incompressible flows around a NACA0012 profile at Reynolds Re = 20, 000 and angle of attack
15◦ illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, in the presence of complex
nonlinear dynamics, which are neglected in the control design. Fast flow reattachment is
achieved, along with both stabilisation and increase/reduction of the lift/drag, respectively.
A major advantage of the presented method is that the chosen
controlled outputs can be easily measured in realistic applications
