Justin Aholt
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Advisor: Dr. Fathi Finaish

Abstract
A computational parametric study designed to examine the plausibility of an external body force generated by active means, such as a plasma actuator, as a way of controlling a Laminar Separation Bubble (LSB) over an airfoil at low Reynolds numbers was conducted. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was employed to characterize the effect that a body force, localized to a small region tangent to the airfoil surface, might have on an LSB. In this study, the effects of altering the strength and location of the "actuator" on the size and location of the LSB and on the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil were observed. It was found that the body force, when properly located and with sufficient magnitude, could effectively eliminate the LSB. Additionally, it was found that by eliminating the LSB, the aerodynamic efficiency of the airfoil could be improved by as much as 60%. Thus, it was determined that such a system may indeed be an effective measure of reducing or eliminating the negative effects associated with LSBs at low Reynolds numbers, making the strategy an excellent candidate for future experimental research regarding this topic.