Characterization of DBD plasma actuator with ZnO nanowire arrays

Abstract Researches in the plasma actuation are increasingly scrutinizing the methodology to enhance the thrust density for the application in the aerodynamic flow control. In this paper, a new method has been proposed and experimentally evaluated. This method is based on the deposition of nanoscaled structures on the electrode surface and the tuning of the applied voltages and frequency. It is found that the thrust enhancement rate resulted from the incorporation of the nanostructures could be approximately 78%, relative to the controlled group, under 14 kV and 7 kHz. However, a threshold effect has been founded across all of the tested samples, where lower applied voltage and frequency could lead to the decrease in the thrust generation. Capacitor charging effects are basically not sensitive to the introduction of the nanostructures in electrical characteristic. Other experimental features and electric field simulation results also indicate the effectiveness of introducing nanoscaled structures into DBD plasma actuators, thus providing a new way to improve mechanical performance.