Plasma actuator for vehicle aerodynamic drag reduction

Abstract

A plasma actuator includes a first electrode disposed on a substrate, covered by a dielectric layer, and a second electrode disposed on the dielectric layer. In operation, the plasma actuator creates a plasma region, altering air flowing over the actuator. The plasma actuator in various embodiments: has no moving parts, helps to improve fuel economy by reducing aerodynamic drag, improves vehicle stability control under severe unsteady flow environments, reduces wind noise around a vehicle on which the actuator is used, and reduces emission and CO2 foot print through the fuel economy improvement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A plasma-actuator system, for affecting aerodynamics of a vehicle, comprising:
 at least one pair of plasma actuators, the pair of plasma actuators comprising:
 a left-lateral plasma actuator positioned at a left lateral position of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, affect air flow adjacent the left lateral position; and 
 a right-lateral plasma actuator positioned at a right lateral position of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, affect air flow adjacent the right lateral position; 
   wherein each of the plasma actuators comprises two electrodes.   
     
     
         2 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at or adjacent a leading edge of a left rear fender of the vehicle, and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the leading edge of the left rear fender; and 
 the right lateral position is at or adjacent a leading edge of a right rear fender of the vehicle, and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the leading edge of the right rear fender. 
 
     
     
         3 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a left third-from-the-front, C, pillar of the vehicle and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the left second, B, pillar of the vehicle; and 
 the right lateral position is at a right third-from-the-front, C, pillar of the vehicle and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the right third, C, pillar of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         4 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a left second-from-the-front, B, pillar of the vehicle and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the left second, B, pillar of the vehicle; and 
 the right lateral position is at a right second-from-the-front, B, pillar of the vehicle and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the right second, B, pillar of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         5 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a left first, A, pillar of the vehicle and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the left first, A, pillar of the vehicle; and 
 the right lateral position is at a right first, A, pillar of the vehicle and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the right first, A, pillar of the vehicle. 
 
     
     
         6 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position surrounds a left vehicle mirror at least partially and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the left vehicle mirror; and 
 the right lateral position surrounds a right vehicle mirror at least partially and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the right vehicle mirror. 
 
     
     
         7 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a trailing edge of a left rear fender of the vehicle, and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the trailing edge of the left rear fender; and 
 the right lateral position is at a trailing edge of a right rear fender of the vehicle, and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the trailing edge of the right rear fender. 
 
     
     
         8 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a left-side aft end of the vehicle, and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the left-side aft end; and 
 the right lateral position is at a right-side aft end of the vehicle, and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the right-side aft end. 
 
     
     
         9 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a trailing edge of a left front fender of the vehicle, and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the trailing edge of the left front fender; and 
 the right lateral position is at a trailing edge of a right front fender of the vehicle, and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the trailing edge of the right front fender. 
 
     
     
         10 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a leading edge of a left front fender of the vehicle, and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the leading edge of the left front fender; and 
 the right lateral position is at a leading edge of a right front fender of the vehicle, and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the leading edge of the right front fender. 
 
     
     
         11 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a left-side front end of the vehicle, and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the left-side front end; and 
 the right lateral position is at a right-side front end of the vehicle, and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the right-side front end. 
 
     
     
         12 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the left lateral position is at a left side of a vehicle decklid, and the left-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the left side of the vehicle decklid; and 
 the right lateral position is at a right side of the vehicle decklid, and the right-lateral plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the right side of the vehicle decklid. 
 
     
     
         13 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein each of the plasma actuators has, in at least a portion of the actuator, one or both of an elongate shape and a curved shape. 
     
     
         14 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 1  wherein each plasma actuator, in affecting air, reduces aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing disturbance of air flowing passing by the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . A plasma-actuator system, for affecting aerodynamics of a vehicle, comprising:
 a centrally disposed plasma actuator;   wherein the centrally disposed plasma actuator is, for use of the system, positioned at a laterally central position, along a centerline of the vehicle; and   wherein the centrally disposed plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the central position.   
     
     
         16 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 15 , wherein the central position is at an aft end of a roof of the vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 15 , wherein the central position is at or adjacent a decklid of the vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 15 , wherein the central position is at or adjacent a hood of the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The plasma-actuator system of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plasma actuators has, in at least a portion of the actuator, one or both of an elongate shape and a curved shape. 
     
     
         20 . A plasma-actuator system, for affecting aerodynamics of a vehicle, comprising:
 at least one plasma-actuator arrangement selected from a group consisting of:
 at least one pair of plasma actuators comprising:
 a left-lateral plasma actuator positioned at a left lateral position of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, affect air flow adjacent the left lateral position; and 
 a right-lateral plasma actuator positioned at a right lateral position of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, affect air flow adjacent the right lateral position; and 
 
 a centrally disposed plasma actuator, wherein:
 the centrally disposed plasma actuator is, for use of the system, positioned at a laterally central position, along a centerline of the vehicle; and 
 the centrally disposed plasma actuator, in operation of the vehicle, affects air flow adjacent the central position; 
 
   wherein each of the plasma actuators comprises two electrodes.