Abstract: An experimental study of the active control of vortices over slender forebodies is performed on a 20° circular-cone-cylinder model using a pair of single-dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) plasma actuators. The tests are carried out in a 3.0 m×1.6 m low-turbulence and low-speed wind tunnel at an angle of attack of 45°. The Reynolds number based on the base diameter of the circular cone is 5×104. The results consist of measu-rements of circumferential pressure distributions over seven stations along the cone under three different modes of controls: both plasma-off, plasma-on port or starboard, and plasma duty-cycle actuations. The local cross-sectional and overall side forces and moments over the cone are calculated from the measured pressures. The results indicate that it is possible to achieve linear proportional control of the lateral forces and moments of the slender body by the duty-cycle plasma flow control technique with appropriately designed plasma actuators and selected electric parameters. The linearity of the controlled lateral forces and moments with respect to the duty cycle is improved over previous studies because of the improved design of the actuators.

Key words: slender body, asymmetric vortex, high angle of attack aerodynamics, plasma, active flow control