Aircraft Distributed Flow Turbulence Sensor Network with Embedded Flow Control Actuators

Several active and passive flow control systems are studied to improve the performances of fluid machineries and to increase aerodynamic efficiency of propulsion systems. Among all the well-known active flow control devices, the dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator (PA) is in full expansion and of great interest in the scientific community. A PA modifies the following behaviour of a fluid by providing an electronically controllable disturbance that brings to drag reduction, flow separation control, enhanced mixing, and noise suppression. PA is potentially easy to construct, has no moving parts and has low power requirements. This leads to its possible applications for separation control in low pressure turbine blade and compressor cascade, tip clearance flow control and compressor stability range extension. The present work reports the design and fabrication of cheap Kapton-based flow turbulence capacitive sensors able to be embedded into aircraft wing profiles and airfoil structures for critical turbulence conditions detection and early-detected separated flows control. The embedded system will provide a Kapton-foil based pressure detection and linear/synthetic jet plasma actuators working in feedback, for prevention and active reduction of separated flow for regional aircraft applications.