Direct numerical simulation of flow around a circular cylinder controlled using plasma actuators

Flow around a circular cylinder controlled using plasma actuators is investigated by means of direct numerical simulation (DNS). The Reynolds number based on the freestream velocity and the cylinder diameter is set at R e D = 1000. The plasma actuators are placed at ± 90° from the front stagnation point. Two types of forcing, that is, two-dimensional forcing and three-dimensional forcing, are examined and the effects of the forcing amplitude and the arrangement of plasma actuators are studied. The simulation results suggest that the two-dimensional forcing is primarily effective in drag reduction. When the forcing amplitude is higher, the mean drag and the lift fluctuations are suppressed more significantly. In contrast, the three-dimensional forcing is found to be quite effective in reduction of the lift fluctuations too. This is mainly due to a desynchronization of vortex shedding. Although the drag reduction rate of the three-dimensional forcing is slightly lower than that of the two-dimensional forcing, considering the power required for the forcing, the three-dimensional forcing is about twice more efficient.