LOCALIZED ARC FILAMENT PLASMA ACTUATORS FOR NOISE MITIGATION AND MIXING ENHANCEMENT

摘要

A device for controlling fluid flow. The device includes an arc generator (20) coupled to electrodes (60). The electrodes are place adjacent a fluid flowpath (15) such that upon being energized by the arc generator, an arc filament plasma adjacent the electrodes is formed. In turn, this plasma forms a localized high temperature, high pressure perturbation in the adjacent fluid flowpath. The perturbations can be arranged to produce vortices, such as streamwise vortice, in the flowing fluid to control mixing and noise in such flows. The electrodes can further be arranged within a conduit configured to contain the flowing fluid such that when energized in a particular frequency and sequence, can excite flow instabilities in the flowing fluid. The placement of the electrodes is such that they are unobtrusive relative to the fluid flowpath being controlled. The device can be used in a method of combatting noise or a method of mixing fluid in a flowpath. Possible application is the exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine.