Device for interactive turbulence control in boundary layers

A device for controlling turbulence in an electrically conductive fluid moving relative a surface exposed to the fluid, said device comprising:

• magnetic field generating means for generating a magnetic field in said fluid near said surface in a direction generally perpendicular to said surface in a y-direction for a right handed coordinate system;
• a pair of electrodes, said electrodes being arranged such that motion of said conductive fluid relative to said surface induces an electric field between said pair of electrodes;
• detector means for measuring induced electric field in said conductive fluid moving relative to said surface in the x-direction of said right handed coordinate system and parallel to said surface;
• and
• a controller, coupled to said electrodes, for measuring a value of said induced electric field and for selectively activating said pair of said electrodes to generate an applied electric field between said pair of electrodes in response to said measured value.