• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2015

Flow characteristics of synthetic jet based flow supplying devices have been computationally investigated for different device shapes. Jet momentum was produced by the volume change of a cavity by two piezoelectric-driven diaphragms. The devices have additional flow path compared with the original synthetic jet actuator, and these flow path changes the flow characteristics of synthetic jet actuator. Four non-dimensional parameters, which were functions of the shapes of the additional flow path, were considered as the most critical parameters in jet performance. Comparative studies were conducted to compare volume flow rate and jet velocity. Computed results were solved by 2-D incompressible Navier-Stokes solver with k-w SST turbulence model. Detailed computations revealed that the additional flow path diminishes suction strength of the synthetic jet actuator. In addition, the cross section area of the flow path has more influence over the jet performances than the length of the flow path. Based on the computational results, the synthetic jet based flow supplying devices could be improved by applying suitable shape of the flow path.