Download Slide 1 - UT Arlington`s Aerodynamics Research Center

Development of an Electromagnetic Boundary Layer Flow Control Facility Using
Conductive Nanoparticle Seeding
Introduction
•Research in magnetohydrodynamics related to
aerodynamics and propulsion has yielded few
feasible applications, mainly because their power
consumption would require generators far too
large to fit onto an aerospace vehicle
•Electromagnetic flow control utilizes the
Lorentz body force, which is created from the
cross product of the current and magnetic fields
•Applying the Lorentz force only in the boundary
layer of an airflow reduces the power
consumption 1-2 orders of magnitude
•The Lorentz body force only works on an
ionized substance, so several novel methods of
creating ionization by seeding conductive
nanoparticles into the upstream airflow of a wind
tunnel are being researched
•After the airflow is seeded it is passed through a
high voltage field (up to 20 kV) to effectively
tear apart low ionization energy molecules (i.e.
potassium carbonate), creating a ‘cold’ plasma
that is passed through a Lorentz force field
•The Lorentz force field causes a pressure change
over the actuator surface, eliminating the need for
conventional control mechanisms like ailerons
and flaps
The University of Texas
A R L I N G T O N
Be A Maverick. ™
Seed Particle Injector
Aerodynamics Research Center
(http://arc.uta.edu)
Prof. Frank K. Lu ([email protected])
Prof. Don R. Wilson ([email protected])
Richard R. Mitchell ([email protected])
Eric M. Braun ([email protected])
Akihiro Nozawa ([email protected])
Phone: 817-272-5120
Fax:
817-272-5124
Lorentz Force Actuator
•The figure below shows surface electrodes and
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
embedded
neodymium
magnets
interchanged
to
(http://www-mae.uta.edu)
create a Lorentz force, L, that accelerates the
airflow, U.
Seeded Airflow Ionization
•This produces
•The seeded air is ionized with a 20 kV power
a Lorentz force
supply split between electrodes placed
with a series of
perpendicular to the flow (~1” separation)
spikes
•The figures below show the ionization plate and corresponding
to the
the cold plasma generated when potassium
carbonate is spread between two of the electrodes boundaries of
the magnets
and electrodes
•In the second
figure,
the
z•Conductivities in the literature obtained from
axis
ionization of pure air are on the order of .1
corresponds
to
mho/m, we are looking for much higher values
the Lorentz
•These higher values lead to an unknown Lorentz force direction
force actuator power consumption, so its power
supply is modular and can support a range of
•Experimental information will be gathered to
conductivities
produce an understanding of the magnitude of the
pressure changes induced by electromagnetic
•DC batteries were used to build this power
geometry, voltage, conductivity, particle type and
supply, which supplies each of up to 3 electrode
pairs with 120-600 V and up to 12 kW of power size, etc.
Future Work
•After low speed testing, this facility has been
designed for high speed testing in the
Aerodynamics Research Center newly-upgraded
supersonic wind tunnel
•Several publications detailing are in progress