An experimental investigation is presented in which an array of pulsed jet actuators is used to control a turbulent separation bubble formed on a curved backward facing ramp. The array is positioned upstream of detachment and consists of wall-normal high aspect ratio skewed rectangular jets which generate streamwise vortices in the boundary layer increasing momentum transfer and delaying separation. While similar systems have shown promise in previous research, this work considers a pressure-induced separation of a relatively high Reynolds number (Re_τ=4600) turbulent boundary layer (TBL), where the large turbulent structures of the separating BL are of similar scale and magnitude as those generated by actuation and significantly affect the dynamics of detachment.

Both steady blowing and periodic pulsing actuation strategies are tested and compared. Preliminary jet velocity and pulsing frequency sweeps are carried out to identify optimal actuator operating parameters, relying on wall static pressure measurements to evaluate control effectiveness. Select cases of interest are then investigated using two-dimensional two-component particle image velocimetry and compared against the uncontrolled baseline which is characterized using PIV and hot wire anemometry. Additional PIV-derived metrics are utilized to assess system performance.

For steady blowing, a jet-to-crossflow velocity ratio VR>1 was required to produce a separation delay, while diminishing improvements in control effect with increasing jet velocity started at VR=1.6 (actuation momentum ratio of C_μ=2.3%). This nominal velocity ratio was adopted for all further investigation. The actuator was found to produce alternating strong and weak downwash regions in the TBL resulting in an artificial sweep/ejection pattern at detachment. Periodic forcing with the same nominal velocity ratio was able to achieve better or comparable results to steady actuation, while requiring less input momentum (C_μ=1.2-1.8%). The optimum actuation frequency was determined to be the natural frequency of the uncontrolled bubble, with the performance of higher frequency actuation tending towards steady blowing levels. As shown by an analysis of flow dynamics based on phase-averaged PIV velocity fields, actuation at the bubble time scales produces significant flow oscillation in phase with actuation. This resonant behaviour results in transient high momentum sweeps between actuation pulses that boost actuator performance, achieving double the performance benefit afforded by steady actuation according to multiple metrics. In comparison, actuation at time scales multiple times shorter than that of the bubble produces a quasi-steady flow and performance comparable to that of steady actuation.

Additionally, a novel alternating actuation strategy is tested, in which the period of active blowing is composed of high frequency alternation between two inverted actuator rows. This aimed to produce a quasi-2D periodic control effect using 3D actuators, which Squire's theorem suggests could excite the separated shear layer instability more than conventional 3D perturbation. While high frequency alternation did achieve a quasi-2D effect, it also prevented the sweep/ejection pattern characteristic of 3D perturbation from forming, thus significantly limiting the actuator performance.