Plasma-assisted rapid flow actuation and its application to hypersonic aerodynamic control

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H02347
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 24010:Aerospace engineering-related
• Research Institution: Toyota Technological Institute (2022); The University of Tokyo (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Watanabe Yasumasa 豊田工業大学, 工学(系)研究科(研究院), 准教授 (60736461)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 極超音速流れ / 放電プラズマ / 気流制御 / 風洞 / 数値流体力学 / 空力制御 / 極超音速機

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As a rapid aerodynamic control method, plasma-assisted hypersonic flow control was investigate with wind tunnel tests and corresponding numerical simulation model was proposed to further analyze the phenomenon. Direct-current arc plasma can modify local flowfield when generated over the surface of hypersonic vehicle, which is a feasible method to attain rapid aerodynamic control of space- and hypersonic vehicle to ensure safe cruise when combined with conventional mechanical control surfaces. In wind tunnel tests, plasma was placed at the nose as well as rear portion of hypersonic airplane model to assess the flow-control authority of dc plasma. It was found that pressure distribution around plasma rapidly changes in less than 1ms due to fast change in shock wave positions. Proposed numerical simulation model also yielded similar flowfield to the tested flowfield. The plasma-assisted flow control method is also expected to be useful in combustion control in supersonic engines.

Free Research Field

航空宇宙工学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

極超音速流れという高エネルギー流れと放電プラズマの干渉現象を明らかにし，航空宇宙流体現象と電磁気現象の複合分野において，その解析モデル構築，気流の諸物理量，放電におけるプラズマパラメータの影響と制御効率の関係性の解明を行なったことが学術的意義である．また，本研究で取り扱った放電現象は，産業分野ではエンジンにおける燃料点火や保炎に対する有効性について期待されており，燃焼の安定性向上を通し，研究段階にある極超音速エンジンの作動信頼性の向上やこれによる将来型大陸往還機の信頼性向上に資する点が社会的意義である．