Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuators were implemented on the leading edges of Wells turbine impeller blades for the purpose of controlling leading-edge separation, and the turbine performance was recorded. Pulse-modulated perturbations at dimensionless frequencies near unity produced remarkable increases in performance. Under massively stalled conditions, with upstream angles of attack exceeding 50°, perturbations produced spin-up and acceleration of the impeller, whereas termination of the pulsations caused the impeller to spin down to uncontrolled conditions. With pulsations active, the impeller was then allowed to accelerate and was subsequently slowed by loading the shaft. Under these loaded conditions the turbine power output exceeded that of the plasma power input by a factor of nearly 30. Given the large changes in angle of attack and reduced frequency across the span of the blades, it is astonishing that plasma actuators produce such a positive net effect. It was hypothesized that the excitation mechanism of separation control observed on airfoils and wings is also active on the rotating impeller blades. Technical challenges associated with the implementation can be overcome, rendering pulsed DBD plasma actuators a potentially game-changing technology.

为了控制前缘分离，在Wells涡轮叶轮叶片的前缘安装了电介质阻挡放电（DBD）等离子体致动器，并记录了涡轮机的性能。在单位附近的无量纲频率处的脉冲调制扰动使性能显着提高。在大范围失速的条件下，上游迎角超过50°，扰动使叶轮旋转并加速，而脉动的终止导致叶轮旋转到不受控制的状态。在脉动作用下，然后允许叶轮加速，然后通过加载轴使其减速。在这些负载条件下，涡轮机的功率输出比等离子功率的输入功率高出将近30倍。考虑到攻角的较大变化和整个叶片跨度的频率降低，令人惊讶的是，等离子体致动器产生了如此积极的净效应。据推测，在翼型和机翼上观察到的分离控制的激励机制在旋转的叶轮叶片上也起作用。可以克服与实施相关的技术挑战，使脉冲DBD等离子致动器成为可能改变游戏规则的技术。