Single dielectric barrier aerodynamic plasma actuation

The dielectric barrier discharge method of improving airfoil airflow characteristics of an aerodynamic vehicle component element, said method comprising the steps of:

• disposing along an airfoil flow surface of said aerodynamic vehicle component element a plasma film generating electrical discharge supporting electrode array having an extended electrode dimension generally orthogonal of airflow across said airfoil airflow surface;
• providing in said electrical discharge supporting electrode array a first dielectric barrier enclosure-surrounded electrode conductor and an overlying, adjacent, laterally displaced, second airflow exposed electrode conductor;
• growing a filamented, light-emitting, time dependent dielectric barrier discharge plasma film over a first electrode conductor-adjacent surface of said dielectric barrier enclosure;
• said time dependent growing plasma film extending in a direction determined by relative positioning of said first electrode conductor and said second electrode conductor on said airfoil-airflow surface and extending over a time dependent distance of said dielectric barrier enclosure;
• said growing step including energizing said second airfoil airflow exposed electrode conductor with a source of alternating current electrical energy of kilovolt peak electrical potential with respect to said first dielectric barrier-surrounded electrode conductor;
• and
• selecting a dielectric barrier plasma film enhancing alternating current electrical energy voltage waveform of relatively slow voltage change in one polarity direction and relatively fast voltage change in opposed polarity direction for said source of alternating current electrical energy of kilovolt peak electrical potential;
• said energized electrical discharge supporting array generating a plasma directed momentum influenced improved pattern of air flow across said aerodynamic vehicle component element airfoil airflow surface.

Aircraft airfoil directed momentum single dielectric barrier aerodynamic plasma actuator apparatus comprising the combination of:

• an exposed dielectric barrier discharge first electrode member located in a first location of an airflow stream across an aerodynamic airfoil element of said aircraft;
• a dielectric barrier-surrounded and enclosed second electrode member located in an adjacent but displaced second downstream location of said aircraft aerodynamic airfoil element with respect to said first electrode member;
• and
• a source of plasma generation-efficient waveform alternating current electrical energy of kilovolt peak electrical potential connected between said first and second airfoil electrode members;
• said dielectric barrier discharge first electrode member and said dielectric barrier surrounded second electrode member being disposed adjacent a point of airflow separation of said airfoil.

The method of generating airfoil aerodynamic performance enhancing time segregated bursts of filamentary single dielectric barrier discharge ionized gas plasma adjacent an airfoil airflow surface of an airborne vehicle component, said method comprising the steps of:

• energizing a pair of airborne vehicle airfoil airflow surface mounted electrodes with alternating current electrical energy of kilovolt electrical potential and selected voltage waveform;
• said pair of airborne vehicle airfoil airflow surface mounted electrodes including a first dielectric barrier-surrounded and enclosed electrode and an adjacent second, airfoil airflow exposed bare conductor, electrode displaced upstream along said airfoil airflow from said first electrode;
• said selected voltage waveform including first and second portions of selected electrode polarity, frequency and waveform rate of voltage change;
• and
• selecting separation dimension, airfoil airflow surface position, shape and cross sectional physical attributes of said first and second electrodes and said dielectric barrier and magnitude of said kilovolt electrical potential in response to desired dielectric barrier discharge characteristics of said generated ionized gas plasma adjacent said airfoil airflow surface.