Advanced Actuator Systems for Separation Control

The development of actuators suitable for boundary-layer separation control is proposed. The Phase I effort focuses on the analysis, design, fabrication, and benchtop testing of prototype systems. The actuators will generate disturbances that are large enough to significantly influence the performance of a high-lift system but will be energy efficient and small enough so that multiple actuators can be imbedded in an airfoil. A follow-on Phase II study will incorporat the best actuators into a high-lift airfoil system for detailed wind tunnel tests. The significance of this modular actuator subsystem is that it has the potential to be incorporated into the design of high-lift systems, ultimately leading to real-time separation control. Recent research has shown that various actuator types are capable of successfully achieving boundary-layer control, yet such actuators are currently impractical for larger-scale implementation. The approach here is innovative in the application of advanced piezoelectric technology. The proposed system may be applied to the design of virtually any fluid system that endeavors to either prevent separation or promote mixing, such as airfoils, nozzles, and diffusers.