Plasma Actuators for Aerodynamic
空気流体力学用プラズマアクチュエータ
E. Moreau, G. Touchard
エリック・モロー, ジェラード・トゥシャ
Electrofluidodynamic Group, P’ Institute, Poitiers University, UPR 3346 CNRS,
Bd Marie & Pierre Curie, BP 30179,86962 Futuroscope Cedex, France
ポワティエ大学 Pプリム研究所 電磁流体力学研究グループ
Due to the conjunction of a technological need in aerodynamic control to be used in aeronautic industry
and new investigations on aerodynamic properties of plasma actuators, recently several researches started
on applications of plasma actuators in aerodynamic control [1]. This paper deals with such researches
developed in P’ Institute.

1. Introduction
We will present here, the different so-called"plasma actuators" developed in our laboratory. The
purpose of this overview is not to analyze andcompare the efficiency of the different plasma
actuators, this has already been made by Moreau ina very exhaustive review [2], but the goal here is todescribe how the different actuators are made andhow they are working [3].

need a counter electrode. Nevertheless, the fact thatsuch device has no moving part constitutes a realadvantage for use in aeronautic industry.
Plasma actuators may be classified by theirgeometrical configuration and the kind of highvoltage applied. In this paper we are going to
examine first the actuators not using a dielectricbarrier, then those using a dielectric barrier.
3. Aerodynamic plasma actuators

2. The electric wind
It is known for a long time that a metallic point
submitted to a high electrical potential generates awind this is due to the so called "point effect".
Indeed, near the tip of the point a corona discharge
appears, thus ions are created and moved by theelectric field. These ions in motion drift the air
molecules creating an electric wind (Fig. 1). This isthe basic process of non thermal plasma actuators.

3.1 The DC discharge actuator
It is composed (Fig. 2) of two wire electrodes
placed in grooves made at the surface of an
insulating material. One electrode, of small
diameter, is connected to a positive voltage supply;
the other with a greater diameter is connected to anegative voltage.
Plasma sheetionscorona

electric wind

+ HV Supply

DC H.V.
Fig. 1. Electric wind generated at a needle tip.

In the case of actuators to be used in aerodynamic
applications, the process is a little more complicatedas the actuator must be mounted on the bodysubmitted to the flow and therefore the material of
the body induces perturbations as well on the plasma
but also on the "electric wind" created, more theyFig. 2. Sketch of the DC discharge actuator

A corona discharge then appears in ambient air
between the two electrodes. The anode diameter
being smaller that the cathode one, positive ions areproduced at the anode while very few negative ionsare produced at the cathode. Thus the action of

these negative ions on the wind generated can beneglected. Thus, under Coulombian forces, thepositive ions drifted from the anode to the cathodeinduce the electric wind generated.

Upper left electrode3.2 The Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD)
actuator

PlasmaThis actuator (Fig. 3) uses a dielectric barrierdischarge. Thus, one electrode is grounded, theother is connected to the output of a high voltage
amplifier TREK connected to a function generator.
An electrode spacing of a few millimeters allows
the generation of plasma at both sides. When thelower plasma perturbs the experiment, then, thelower electrode is embedded in the material or
covered by a dielectric. The flat plate is made of adielectric material. The electrodes are made of thinmetallic foil.

Upper right electrode and lower one
connected and grounded

DC H.V.

AC H.V.

Fig. 4. Sketch of the sliding discharge actuator

4. Example of plasma actuation
We can see on Fig.5 an example of plasma
actuation on a Naca profile

Upper electrodePlasmaLower electrodePlasma
AC H.V.
Without actuation

Fig. 3. Sketch of the DBD actuator

3.3 The sliding discharge actuator
The sliding discharge has been first performed forother applications (lasers). In the laboratory we
perfected different devices producing sliding
discharge, but, for airflow control, the sketch of theactuator mainly used is shown in Fig. 4. The upper
upstream electrode is connected to a DC+AC power
supplies; this means that the potential applied tothis electrode has two components: an AC one
added to a DC one. It is in fact a periodic voltage
which has a non null time-averaged value. The
lower electrode and the upper downstream electrodeare connected together and grounded. Sometimes
only an alternative potential is applied to the upper
left electrode while a DC voltage is applied to theset composed by the upper right electrode and thelower electrode. In both configurations the results
obtained are similar. This actuator can produce alarge plasma sheet but the electric windconfiguration and magnitude remain quasi similar
to those produced by the two previous actuators.

With actuation
Fig. 5 Example of plasma actuation on a NACA profile
References[1] G.M. Colver and S. El-Khabiry, IEEE Trans. Indust.
Apll. 35, (1999) , p. 387-394.
[2] E. Moreau, J. Phys. D : Appl. Phys. 40, ( 2007) ,p. 605-636.
[3] G. Touchard, International Journal of Plasma
Environmental Science and Technology (IJPEST),Vol 2. No. 1, (2008), p. 1-25.