ONERA Actuators for Active Flow Control

These actuators are used for various applications in wind tunnel tests, from 2D models to half-wing and helicopter models, for external or internal aerodynamics subjects.

Depending on the available volume in the models and on the aerodynamic requirements in terms of actuation magnitude and bandwidth from subsonic to transonic conditions, various technical solutions have been retained.

There are many ways to classify actuators between mechanical/fluidic, zero-net-massflux/ nonzero mass flux/plasma, etc. The first part of this paper is devoted to mechanical actuators (moving aileron, mini trailing edge devices and deployable vortex generators).

Fluidic actuators are presented in the second part, which deals with pulsed fluidic vortex generators, pulsed blowing slots and synthetic jets. The third part is focused on the characterization of the fluidic actuators.

For more information:    Onera Actuators for Active Flow Control