Method of controlling aircraft, missiles, munitions and ground vehicles with plasma actuators

A method of controlling flow of fluid across a surface of a missile, aircraft, munition, or ground vehicle having a number of surfaces comprising the steps of:

• locating a plasma actuator on or essentially flush with a surface of the missile, aircraft, munition or ground vehicle having a trailing edge or aft end, a placement distance from the trailing edge or aft end;
• measuring or estimating a velocity of a fluid flowing past the surface of the missile, aircraft, munition or ground vehicle;
• determining or estimating a time of flow separation of the fluid from the surface near the location of the plasma actuator;
• and
• activating the plasma actuator near the time of flow separation of the fluid at a frequency equal to between about 0.6 to about 1.4 times the velocity of the fluid divided by the placement distance of the plasma actuator from the trailing edge or aft end.

A method of controlling flow of fluid across a surface of a missile, aircraft, munition, or ground vehicle having a number of surfaces comprising the steps of:

• locating a plasma actuator on or essentially flush with a surface of the missile, aircraft, munition or ground vehicle having a trailing edge or aft end, a placement distance from the trailing edge or aft end;
• locating a sensor having a signal, the sensor being positioned to detect or predict flow separation of a fluid near the location of the plasma actuator;
• measuring or estimating a velocity of a fluid flowing past the surface of the missile, aircraft, munition or ground vehicle;
• determining or estimating a time of the flow separation of the fluid from the surface near the location of the plasma actuator based at least in part on the signal of the sensor;
• and
• activating and deactivating the plasma actuator near the time of flow separation of the fluid at a frequency equal to between about 0.6 to about 1.4 times the velocity of the fluid divided by the placement distance of the plasma actuator from the trailing edge or aft end, or the extent of flow separation.