Dielectric barrier discharge induced boundary layer suction

Boundary layer downdraft suction and through-surface fluid removal is demonstrated with a streamwise oriented dielectric barrier discharges fabricated into a flat plate immersed in a 3.8 m/s freestream flow (Re = 72000). The velocity field is obtained by particle image velocimetry. Suction with through-surface fluid removal is found to thin the boundary layer and increases the velocity gradient in the vicinity of the wall by extracting slower fluid from the inner layer region. The effect of this suction on the boundary layer persists away from the center of the exposed electrode without inducing significant disturbances to the freestream flow.