Synthetic Jets as a Boundary Vorticity Flux Control Tool

Numerical simulations of a two-dimensional synthetic jet on a long flat plate were carried out. The synthetic jet was modeled with a 25 mm wide cavity exiting through a 1 mm slot on the flat plate upper surface and simulated by imposing a sinusoidal velocity. Results for the three slot orientations and velocity ratios showed synthetic jet actuation to have little effect on the flat plate lower-surface body vorticity flux (BVF). The results show that blowing and suction significantly affected BVF downstream of the synthetic jet with both clockwise (CW) and counter-clockwise (CCW) vorticity diffusion observed. Formation and advection of discrete vortices as a result of synthetic jet actuation is visible in all surface plots and may have influenced the downstream lengths of the estimated control regions.