Fluidic oscillators for flow control

Fluidic oscillators are based on the bi-stable states of a jet (or a pair of jets) of fluid inside a specially designed flow chamber. These produce sweeping or pulsing jets of high exit velocity (similar to sonic exit velocities) extending the control authority achievable to high subsonic flows. Sweeping and pulsing jets with frequencies ranging from 1 to 20 kHz have been obtained with meso-scale (nozzle sizes in the range of 200 mu m-1 mm) fluidic oscillators with very low mass flow rates of the order of 1 g/s. Such actuators have been recently used in laboratory scale experiments for separation control and cavity noise control with significant promise to be implemented in full-scale systems. In this paper, we provide a historical background of fluidic oscillators and methods to produce either sweeping or pulsing jets, their typical frequency, flow rate, and scaling characteristics. Some challenges in detailed characterization of such actuators through measurement will be presented. We will also discuss some of the system integration issues of translating this technology into practice. This is followed by a brief discussion of the need for further development of such actuators and the understanding of the mechanism by which flow control is achieved by these sweeping jets.