Recent progress in dielectric barrier discharges for aerodynamic flow control

Plasma actuators are electrical devices that use an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge for flow control. They have been employed successfully to promote boundary layer attachment. Simulations have been carried out of a plasma actuator using Direct-Simulation-Monte-Carlo and Particle-in-Cell methods. This work summarizes some recent results including: 1) the method by which force is imparted by the actuator to the neutral flow, 2) the effect of electronegative gasses, such as oxygen, and 3) the effects on the neutral flow of the plasma force.