Hypersonic Experimental Facility for Magnetoaerodynamic Interactions

摘要

A hypersonic, weakly ionized gas experimental facility has been exclusively designed for basic research in magne-toaerodynamics. The weakly ionized air is generated by a combination of direct-current discharge, radio frequency radiation, or a combination of both in a blowdown, open-jet, Mach 5 channel. A collection of plasma diagnostic tools including optical spectroscopy, microwave devices, and Langmuir probes have also been successfully developed. The plasma field is determined to haye an electron temperature around 10,000 K and the electron number density up to 2 x 10~(12)/cm~3. The magnetic field can be provided by a steady-state solenoid that can generate a maximum magnetic flux density up to 3 T or arrays of permanent magnets. Under this laboratory testing environment, the maximum Stuart number per unit length is around 1.5 per meter. As an example of the utility of the facility, a successful hypersonic magnetoaerodynamics experiment demonstrating the potential of a plasma actuator is described. In this experiment, the effect of an electromagnetic perturbation by a glow discharge near the leading edge is further amplified by viscous-inviscid interaction, creating a significant pressure rise over the plate surface. The induced surface pressure exhibits potential as a virtual flap for flow control.