Numerical Research on the NS-SDBD Control of a Hypersonic Inlet in Off-Design Mode

Abstract

The overall performance of a scramjet inlet will decline while entering off-design mode. Active flow control using nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharge (NS-SDBD) can be a novel solution to such inlet–unstart problems. NS-SDBD actuators are deployed on the surface of the internal compression section, controlling the shock waves and the separation area. Numerical simulations of hypersonic flows are carried out using the compressible Reynolds average Navier–Stokes equation (RANS), along with the plasma phenomenological model which is added in as the energy source term. Flow structures and the evolution of performance parameters are analyzed. Results show that NS-SDBD actuators are able to increase the static pressure behind the cowl shock, boosting the downstream total pressure. The compression effect becomes stronger while raising the frequency or shortening the spacing between the actuators. Under the inlet–unstart conditions, the compression wave generated by the actuator pushes the reattachment point forward, making the separation bubble longer in length and shorter in height, which reduces the strength of the separation shock. The results provide a numerical basis for the state control of a hypersonic inlet.