Turbulent boundary layer (TBL) Drag Reduction Flight Demonstration via Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuators

Drag is an unavoidable force that limits key performance variables like, range, endurance, speed, and payload. Decades of research have been dedicated to reducing drag but unfortunately the benefit of most drag reduction technology is overshadowed by weight or power penalties. To address this need, Spectral Energies, LLC (SE) and its collaborator, The University of Notre Dame (UND), propose to demonstrate Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) Plasma Actuators technology for turbulent boundary layer (TBL) drag reduction that has significant net power savings. The approach is based on the team’s success in the laboratory environment in reducing viscous drag by 50% for Mach numbers up to Mach 0.5 (maximum tested), with 12 times the net drag power savings. During Phase II, the team will focus on transitioning this laboratory technology to a full-scale flight-tested hardware. Ultimately, the proposed DBD technology has the potential to significantly increase range of military and commercial aircraft.