介质阻挡放电(Dielectric Barrier Discharge, DBD)等离子体激励器因其无机械运动部件、结构轻质、响应迅速等特性,在主动流动控制领域展现出良好的应用前景。本研究在Davis机翼上布置24对交流DBD等离子体激励器,通过风洞测力试验、粒子图像测速(PIV)流场测量及真实飞行试验,系统评估其流动控制效果与减阻性能。风洞试验结果表明,等离子体激励可有效调控近壁面流动结构。激励诱导的壁面射流与近壁涡结构相互作用,促使相干结构流向尺度压缩、展向条带间距增大、结构倾斜角由15.94°减小至9.2°。该流动控制作用抑制了准流向涡对的抬升运动,削弱流体间的动量输运,削弱近壁区雷诺切应力,最终实现摩擦阻力的降低。在此基础上,开展无人机定高、定空速的盘旋飞行试验。在空速24 m/s、激励电压峰-峰值10 kV、迎角4°(接近最大升阻比状态)条件下,通过电机功率变化评估减阻效果。结果表明,开启等离子体激励后,飞行器地速提升约7%,峰值减阻率达7.59%,平均减阻率为6.15%。风洞与飞行试验所获得的减阻趋势一致,验证了该流动控制方法在真实飞行环境中的有效性与工程可行性。
Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuators have demonstrated significant potential for active flow control, owing to their distinct advantages, including the absence of moving mechanical parts, a lightweight structure, and rapid response time. In this study, 24 pairs of alternating current (AC) DBD plasma actuators were arranged on a Davis wing. The flow control effectiveness and drag-reduction performance were systematically evaluated through wind-tunnel force measurements, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) flow-field measurements, and actual flight tests. Wind tunnel results indicate that plasma actuation effectively modulates near-wall flow structures. The wall jet induced by the actuation interacts with near-wall structures, leading to changes in coherent structures: compression of the streamwise extent, enlargement of the spanwise streak spacing, and a reduction in the inclination angle from 15.94° to 9.20°. This flow-control effect suppresses the lift-up motion of quasi-streamwise vortex pairs, weakening momentum transport and attenuating Reynolds shear stress in the near-wall region, thereby reducing skin-friction drag. Based on these findings, circling flight tests were conducted using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) at a fixed altitude and airspeed. Drag reduction effects were evaluated by monitoring changes in motor power under conditions of an airspeed of 24 m/s, a peak-to-peak actuation voltage of 10 kV, and an angle of attack of 4° (close to the maximum lift-to-drag ratio state). The results demonstrate that upon activating plasma actuation, the aircraft's ground speed increased by approximately 7%, with a peak drag reduction of 7.59% and an average drag reduction of 6.15%. The consistent drag-reduction trends observed in both wind tunnel and flight tests validate the effectiveness and engineering feasibility of this flow-control method in real-world flight environments.