Flow Manipulation Strategies: Detached Eddy Simulation Study of DBD Plasma Actuators in a Bluff Body Burner
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This study employs Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) to investigate the impact of Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) plasma actuators on the control of non-reacting flow structures within a non-premixed bluff body burner. Plasma actuators were utilized in two operating modes: continuous and duty-cycled actuation. The objective is to assess the efficacy of these actuators in manipulating flow characteristics for enhanced combustion control. Numerical simulations were conducted to elucidate the interaction between plasma actuation and the turbulent flow around the bluff body burner by analyzing flow separation, vorticity dynamics, and overall flow structure. Our findings reveal that the plasma actuators significantly influence recirculation areas, demonstrating effectiveness in enhancing the mixing of fuel and oxidizer. The presence of the plasma actuators induces the formation of vortices, which slow down the flow movement and improve the interaction between the fuel and airflow streams, thereby promoting more favorable combustion conditions. The results also indicated an average 33% improvement in the spatial mixing for the steady actuation and 30% improvement in temporal mixing for the duty cycles operation. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying plasma-based flow control, paving the way for further exploration in reactive flow environments.