Simulation of Overall Plasma Actuator Effects
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Major
Mechanical Engineering
Research Advisor
Rovey, Joshua L.
Advisor's Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Funding Source
NASA-Missouri Space Grant Consortium
Abstract
Plasma actuators show a great deal of potential as enhancements for aerospace control surfaces, or even as control surfaces in of themselves for small platforms. The appeal of these as control surfaces is that plasma actuators can react far faster than normal mechanical control surfaces. However, in order for this potential to be fully realized, the effect of the plasma actuators must be known before hand in order to adjust the pressure flow over a surface, as there would not be enough time to do a complex fluid simulation in real time. To this effect this paper covers the simulation and then the generalization of the effects of the actuators on airflow over a surface at various initial flow speeds for eventual use in a surface control program.
Biography
Andrew Heckman went to Armstrong Elementary school and from there to Hazelwood West High School. He graduated in the top ten percent of the graduating class in May 2006. Andrew is currently a junior pursuing a bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has done a research project on the wall erosion in Hall thrusters and is currently doing research on plasma actuators. Further, has been involved in the Robotics club in the Computer Science portion of the team since sophomore year and has recently become involved in the Steel Bridge Building team.
Research Category
Engineering
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
08 Apr 2009, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Simulation of Overall Plasma Actuator Effects
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Plasma actuators show a great deal of potential as enhancements for aerospace control surfaces, or even as control surfaces in of themselves for small platforms. The appeal of these as control surfaces is that plasma actuators can react far faster than normal mechanical control surfaces. However, in order for this potential to be fully realized, the effect of the plasma actuators must be known before hand in order to adjust the pressure flow over a surface, as there would not be enough time to do a complex fluid simulation in real time. To this effect this paper covers the simulation and then the generalization of the effects of the actuators on airflow over a surface at various initial flow speeds for eventual use in a surface control program.
