A numerical analysis of the impact of gas pressure and dielectric material on the generation of body force in an air gas plasma actuator

TL;DR

This study uses numerical modeling to analyze how different dielectric materials and gas pressures affect the body force generated by an air plasma actuator, aiming to optimize flow control applications.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed 2D model of a plasma actuator considering various dielectric materials and pressures, providing insights into their effects on plasma characteristics and body force.

Findings

Dielectric material significantly influences plasma body force.

Lower gas pressure increases plasma body force.

Modeling results aid in optimizing plasma actuator design.

Abstract

Plasma technology has undeniably revolutionized industrial processes in recent decades. Atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) has emerged as a prominent and widely applicable tool in various scientific disciplines. Notably, plasma-assisted flow control has become a subject of intense interest, particularly applying surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators for aerodynamic flow control. In this study, a two-dimensional model of the SDBD plasma actuator is developed using the COMSOL Multiphysics program, incorporating air gas discharge reactions with N2/O2/Ar gases in specific ratios (0.78, 0.21, 0.01). The investigation focuses on the impact of dielectric materials (mica, silica glass, quartz, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) on plasma characteristics and body force within the plasma actuator under constant input parameters. Moreover, the study explores how variable pressure (760, 660, and 560 torr) in different applications influences plasma properties, ultimately affecting the magnitude of the body force in the plasma actuator. These findings contribute to optimizing plasma technology for flow control applications and enhance industrial efficiency and performance.