Study on the Flow Characteristics of the Sweeping Jet Actuator

The current research experimentally and computationally examines the effect of geometric modifications on a fluidic oscillator. This fluidic actuator is a double feedback loop actuator, called Sweeping Jet Actuator (SWJ). These SWJ actuators emit a continuous but spatially oscillating jet when pressurised with fluid through a Coanda effect dynamics, without the requirement of any moving part. The jet frequencies of the SWJ actuator were obtained from the unsteady static pressure in different locations and for different inlet mass flow rate conditions with varying the mentioned geometric parameters, using computational and experimental techniques. The modification of the height feedback channel geometry of SWJ does not affect the oscillation frequency. On the other hand, the SWJ actuator has been employed and studied experimentally to minimize power consumption and the associated environmental impact in ground vehicles. For this reason, the SWJ actuator has been placed on the back of a bluff body and tested in a wind tunnel to see the effect of the jet oscillation on the turbulent wakes. The current results show a control of the bistable wake for a certain inlet mass flow rates.