The aim of our study is to analyse the modifications of a laminar
flow passing around a cylinder due to an electroaerodynamic effect.
The cylinder axis is perpendicular to the flow and the Reynolds
number range of 20 to 50.
Charges are injected in the air flow by corona discharge from a
needle placed perpendicular to the cylinder (parallel to the flow) at the
stagnation point on the cylinder, the sharp extremity of the needle facing
the upstream flow.
A counter electrode is stick at the rear of the cylinder facing
the downstream flow.
It is a well known fact that without electric field the flow
around such cylinder presents at its downstream part a small stable
attached recirculating zone, growing in size with the Reynolds number. In
particular for a Reynolds number equal to 40 it is
When an electric potential is applied between the needle and the
counter electrode generally grounded, a small intermittent recirculation
is generated near the front stagnation point (typically at 5 kV).
Progressively, the size of the cylinder wake reduc
An analysis is then made to predict drag reduction due to this
electroaerodynamic effect.