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The interaction of 2D vortices in a developing pulsed plasma jet
Lei Dong1,2, Kwing-So Choi3, Yaxing Wang4
1School of Mechatronics Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China.
Scientific Reports
|December 7, 2025
Summary
Dielectric-barrier-discharge pulsed plasma actuators generate vortex pairs. Increased frequency causes leapfrogging, enhancing thrust, but too high a frequency leads to merger and thrust loss.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Plasma Physics
- Aerodynamics
Background:
- Dielectric-barrier-discharge (DBD) pulsed plasma actuators generate two-dimensional vortex pairs.
- Understanding vortex dynamics is crucial for applications like flow control and thrust generation.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the transformation of plasma-induced vortex pairs into a free jet.
- Analyze the impact of modulation frequency on vortex interactions and jet behavior.
Main Methods:
- Time-resolved particle image velocimetry (PIV) for flow visualization.
- Wavelet spectral analysis for detailed interaction dynamics.
- Measurement of mean velocity and turbulent intensity profiles.
Main Results:
- At low frequencies, vortex pairs formed a free jet with minimal interaction.
- Increased frequency induced leapfrogging of vortex pairs, sustaining downstream thrust.
- High frequencies led to vortex merger, resulting in a loss of jet thrust.
Conclusions:
- Vortex interaction dynamics, including leapfrogging and merger, are strongly dependent on modulation frequency.
- Leapfrogging enhances plasma-induced thrust, while merger diminishes it.
- The study elucidates unique 2D vortex interaction mechanisms in pulsed plasma jets.
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