Compact Fluidic Actuator Arrays For Flow Control, Phase I

The overall objective of the proposed research is to design, develop and demonstrate fluidic actuator arrays for aerodynamic separation control and drag reduction. These actuators are based on a compact design of low mass-flow fluidic oscillators that produce high frequency (1-5 kHz) oscillating or pulsing jets. Our preliminary experiments on separation control over trailing edge flaps, cavity tones and jet thrust vectoring show great promise for these actuators, the main advantage being that these have no moving parts and hence mechanically robust with a high degree of reliability. The control authority of these actuators is also high as measured from the velocity amplitude of the exiting jets. In Phase I of the proposal, we will determine the geometric and dynamic scaling parameters of the fluidic actuators and explore the system integration issues for embedding them into airfoil shapes. Based on the results from this phase, in Phase II, we will design and develop integrated fluidic actuator systems for 1/10 scale to full-scale testing.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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