An aircraft is provided and includes a fuselage including a top and a tail, a main rotor apparatus disposed at the top of the fuselage, which rotates one or more rotors to generate lift, and an active flow control (AFC) system. The AFC system includes plasma actuators configured to generate plasma at a location adjacent to the main rotor apparatus and/or at the tail of the fuselage.

A plasma plate is used to minimize drag of a fluid flow over an exposed surface. The plasma plate includes a series of plasma actuators positioned on the surface. Each plasma actuator is made of a dielectric separating a first electrode exposed to a fluid flow and a second electrode separated from the fluid flow under the dielectric. A pulsed direct current power supply provides a first voltage to the first electrode and a second voltage to the second electrode. The series of plasma actuators is operably connected to a bus which distribute powers and is positioned to minimize flow disturbances. The plasma actuators are arranged into a series of linear rows such that a velocity component is imparted to the fluid flow.

Systems and methods are described herein to implement transverse momentum injection at low frequencies to directly modify large-scale eddies in a turbulent boundary layer on a surface of an object. A set of transverse momentum injection actuators may be positioned on the surface of the object to affect large-scale eddies in the turbulent boundary layer. The system may include a controller to selectively actuate the transverse momentum injection actuators with an actuation pattern to affect the large-scale eddies to modify the drag, fluid mixing, heat transfer, and/or other interactions of the fluid flow with the surface. In various embodiments, the transverse momentum injection actuators may be operated at frequencies less than 10,000 Hertz.

A plasma actuator includes: a dielectric layer; a first electrode provided on the obverse surface of the dielectric layer; a second electrode provided, on the reverse-surface side of the dielectric layer, in one direction from the first electrode; a floating conductor pair that is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode and that has an obverse-surface conductor provided on the obverse surface of the dielectric layer and a reverse-surface conductor provided on the reverse-surface side of the dielectric layer, the obverse-surface conductor and the reverse-surface conductor being electrically connected to each other, electrically insulated from the first electrode and the second electrode, and positioned in the order of the reverse-surface conductor and the obverse-surface conductor in the one direction from the first electrode in plan view; and a power source connected to the first electrode and the second electrode.

A fluid control system includes a dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) device, and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain a streamwise length scale of a fluid flowing over a surface. The processing circuitry is also configured to obtain a convective time scale of the fluid flowing over the surface. The processing circuitry is also configured to operate the DBD device, based on the streamwise length scale and the convective time scale, to adjust a flow property of the fluid.

An aircraft steering system includes an electric actuator, a clutch, at least one plasma actuator, and a controller. The electric actuator is configured to vary an angle of a flight control surface of an aircraft. The clutch is configured to cut off torque by driving of the electric actuator. The torque is to be transmitted to the flight control surface. The at least one plasma actuator is configured to form a flow of air on a surface of the flight control surface when the torque is cut off. The controller is configured to control the electric actuator, the clutch, and the at least one plasma actuator.

In an embodiment of the invention there is a cyclotronic actuator utilizing a high-voltage plasma driver connected to a first electrode. A second electrode is grounded and the two are isolated from each other by a dielectric plate. A magnet is positioned beneath the dielectric plate such that a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge plasma is formed outwardly between the first electrode across the dielectric plate. The magnet positioned beneath the dielectric plate introduces a magnetic field transverse to the plasma current path, such that the plasma discharge discharges radially and the local magnetic field is oriented vertically in a direction perpendicular to the dielectric plate to create a Lorentz Force, which forces the plasma discharge to move radially outwardly in a curved radial streamer mode pattern.

A flow control system includes a movable wing attachable to a wing of an aircraft, and a plasma actuator mountable on a surface of the movable wing. The flow control system is configured to control air flow around the wing by having the changing of the steering angle of the movable wing work in conjunction with the operation of the plasma actuator.

Systems and methods for enhancing operations of an aircraft may include a plasma generator, a sensor, and a controller. The plasma generator may be positioned on an exterior of the aircraft such that it can provide localized heating thereon. The sensor may be configured to sense and transmit information regarding a transonic flight condition such as speed to the controller. The controller may be configured to activate the plasma generator in response to information from the sensor, so as to mitigate a transonic shock wave through localized heating.

In an embodiment of the invention there is a cyclotronic actuator utilizing a high-voltage plasma driver connected to a first electrode. A second electrode is grounded and the two are isolated from each other by a dielectric plate. A magnet is positioned beneath the dielectric plate such that a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge plasma is formed outwardly between the first electrode across the dielectric plate. The magnet positioned beneath the dielectric plate introduces a magnetic field transverse to the plasma current path, such that the plasma discharge discharges radially and the local magnetic field is oriented vertically in a direction perpendicular to the dielectric plate to create a Lorentz Force, which forces the plasma discharge to move radially outwardly in a curved radial streamer mode pattern.