Flow Control with Synthetic Jet Actuators under Adverse Pressure Gradient Laminar Boundary Layer

This study investigates how synthetic jet actuators prevent laminar boundary layer separation caused by adverse pressure gradient. Active separation control experiments were performed over the suction surface of a wing model that has S809 airfoil profile using synthetic jet actuators. The synthetic jet array on the wing consists of three individually controlled actuators driven by piezoelectric diaphragms and it was located at 28% chord location near the mid-span of the wing. After conducting surface pressure measurements at several low Reynolds numbers, namely, 2.3x10 5 , 3.4x10 5 , 5.1x10 5 and at zero angle of attack, and determining the 2.3x10 5 Reynolds number case as the baseline case study, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Constant Temperature Anemometry (CTA) measurements were carried out to determine the size and characteristics of the separated shear layer caused by the adverse pressure gradient over the suction surface of the airfoil at 2.3x10 5