Miniaturized Actuators in Cooperative Systems for Separation Control

Abstract:
This contribution aims at reducing the mechanical and fluidic design requirements for actuators in separation control systems. By using multiple arrays of pulsed fluidic actuators and a cooperative operation strategy, the coherent flow structures (vortices) induced by the most upstream actuators can be enhanced by the subsequent actuator lines as they travel downstream. Taking advantage of this mechanism, separated flows can be reattached by using only a fraction of the total fluidic impulse needed by a single line of fluidic actuators. On the single actuation devices a reduction of more than 85% of the required momentum coefficient is achieved. Corresponding downscaling of a classical pulsed fluidic actuator leads to a clear reduction in weight and mass flow. Actuators in microtechnology and/or based on other actuation principles may promise even higher reductions. Thus cooperative strategies in multiple actuator arrays enable the use of downscaled devices for high authority actuation tasks and provide new system benefits in separation control due to their inherent redundancies and flexibility in operation.