Improving the performance of a numerical model to simulate the EHD interaction effect induced by dielectric barrier discharge

Highlights: • A semi-empirical model for a DBD actuator that does not need to experimental results for parameters calibration. • A new boundary condition for density charge on the dielectric surface to be used instead of the Gaussian distribution, which describes a relationship between the electrical potential and the charge density equations. • An algebraic relation to estimate the plasma extent length on the dielectric surface. • Modification of the Debye length relation provided by Bouchmal to include frequency effects. • More accurate simulation of the effect of the DBD actuator on the boundary layer thickness and the (wall jet) velocity profile. - Abstract: Over the past decade, there has been a growing interest in dielectric-barrier-discharge (DBD) plasma actuators. The lack of a general model to accurately simulate the related phenomena is one of the primary limitations in studying such type of actuators. One of the most frequently used models of this type was proposed by Suzen and Huang (S-H). Despite the numerous efforts made to improve this model, including a recent work of the authors, some deficiencies still exist. In this study, new modifications have been introduced to improve the performance and accuracy of the S-H phenomenological model. Here, a relation between the electrical-potential and charge-density equations has been made in the form of a boundary condition for charge distribution on the dielectric surface. Some semi-empirical relations are extracted for computing the plasma extension as well as the Debye length which is very important in simulation of the near-wall flow field. Furthermore, the one-equation for estimation of actuator-generated-thrust is corrected by these modifications. The main advantage of the modified model is that the model does not need to further calibration to predict accurately the Debye length, plasma extension and maximum charge density parameter in a range of voltages and frequencies. Promising results have been achieved in the simulation of the induced jet structures in the flat-plate boundary-layer for air as the working fluid.