Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuators for Unsteady Aerodynamic Load Control

Abstract

Active load control for load alleviation has become more important in the wind energy industry in recent years. The continuously increasing size of wind turbines has eventually led to the point where efficient mitigation of the fatigue loads on the blades, due to unsteady wind or gusts, is becoming an important aspect in the design. Suppression of these unsteady loads by passive or active means would reduce the fatigue crack growth in the blade material and allow for thinner and cheaper blades.