Lift and drag control using dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators installed on the wingtips

A concept for lift and drag modification on a airfoil using dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuation (DBD-PA) are investigated and proposed through direct numerical simulations. DBD-PA has placed on the wing-tip surface with varying its placement and magnitude of actuation, in order to modify the wing-tip vortex by adding and impeding the momentum. The assessment has been carried out by NACA 0012 with square tip at 10 degrees of angle of attack. Reynolds number is set to 3000. As actuating strength increases, lift force significantly increased in Blow-up case and decreased in Blow-down case, while slightly increased in Suction-up and is nearly unaffected in Suction-down case. Drag is reduced only in Suction-up case and Blow-down case at higher induced velocity, while increased in other cases. Also a large modification near the wing outboard region was confirmed due to a new vortex additionally created by the actuation. The increase of lift around wing outboard to center region of the wing which has been observed. These were attributed to the negative pressure fields which is created by a new vortex additionally created by the actuation.