Experimental Validation of a Pulse-Modulated Flow-Control Actuator for Turbomachinery
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Copyright 2017 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved. An experimental investigation was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of a new design for a pulse-widthmodulated actuator for flowcontrol in turbomachinery. This newactuatorwas operated at angular velocities typical for a low-pressure compressor and was used to control the flow on an isolated airfoil. Jet-actuation parameters included the jet momentum coefficient, dimensionless actuation frequency, and operating pressure. Hot-wire anemometry was used to determine the frequency response of the actuator with a pseudoblade representative of a compressor blade, as well as determine the achievable jet momentum coefficients. Flow-control experiments in a low-speed wind tunnel with an instrumented NACA 0015 airfoil were performed to evaluate the ability of the actuator to control flow separation. The experimental data showed that the variation of the jet momentum coefficient with operating pressure and actuation frequency was marginal; therefore, the pulse modulator can operate effectively over a wide range of compressor wheel speeds. The flow-control data showed that flow separation was delayed for the entire range of jet momentum coefficients.