Fluidic actuator performance variation via internal dimensions modifications

Abstract

When aimed to modify the downstream vortex shedding of a given bluff body, whether any road vehicle or wing profile, the use of Active Flow Control (AFC) appears to be an efficient technology. Among the different (AFC) methodologies the use of periodic forcing is ment to have better efficiency since it requires less energy to activate the shear layer, the reason behind this efficiency lies on the fact that periodic forcing interacts with the shear layer natural instabilites. In the present paper, one of the devices widely emloyed to generate pulsating flow, is carefully studied via 3D-CFD and using OpenFOAM. Initially the base flow is being determined and compared with previous experimental results, in a second step several internal dimensions of the fluidic actuator are being modified to characterize the output frequency and amplitude variations, among the conclusions obtained it is found that a given fluidic actuator is capable of generating several output frequencies and amplitudes when modifying some internal dimensions while maintaining a constant incoming flow Reynolds number.