1. Main research interests
  2. (1) Toward the paradigm shift of fluid dynamic technology

(1) Toward the paradigm shift of fluid dynamic technology

Fig. 1 Our project for product design innovation

We try to use CFD for the paradigm shift of aerodynamic technology (based on my message in the Guggenheim award lecture at ICAS Congress in 2004). We consider DBD plasma actuators　(DBD-PA) as a tool with strong potential to realize the idea. With these devices, we intend to change conventional design methodology based on well-designed geometries to new design methodology based on simple geometries with small or micro devices (Fig. 1)”. Figure 2 shows that this small device with only hundreds of micro―meters thick will reduce large-scale flow separation over an airfoil. This would enable much higher performance than would be imagined by evolutionary effort for high aerodynamic performance.

(a) DBD-PA off

(b) DBD-PA on

Fig. 2 Flow separation control with DBD-PA

We had three projects on this topic in the past from 2008, each having three years, under JPSP funding (Kiban-A), and one CFD application project for K supercomputer for five years. Based on the knowledge of flow structures and mechanism of flow control, we currently have another JSPS project (Kiban-A) from 2018-2020 (extended to 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic) that would realize a small airplane fly using plasma actuators and identify effectiveness of this device for flyers. We have collaboration with three companies for industrial application of plasma actuators as well.


See the following references for our activities in general.

1. Fujii, K., “Three Flow Features behind the Flow Control Authority of DBD　Plasma Actuator”, Applied Science, 8 (4), 546, April 2018; DOI:10.3390/app8040546.

2. Fujii, K., “High-performance computing-based exploration of flow control with micro devices,” Philosophical Transaction A, Vol.372, pp.1471-2962 2014.; DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2013.0326.

Recent articles
D. Chen, K. Asada, S. Sekimoto, K. Fujii, and H. Nishida,“A high-fidelity body-force modelling approach for plasma-based flow control simulations”, Physics of Fluids, accepted for publication, Feb. 2021.
T. Abe, K. Asada, S. Sekimoto, K. Fukudome, H. Mamori, T. Tatsukawa, K. Fujii, and M. Yamamoto, “Computational Study of Wing Tip Effect for the Flow Control Authority of DBD Plasma Actuator, AIAA Journal, Vol. 59, No. 1, pp. 104-117 2021; doi: doi/abs/10.2514/1.J059706. S. Shimomura, S. Sekimoto, A. Oyama, K. Fujii, H. Nishida, “Closed-Loop Flow Separation Control Utilizing the Deep Q-Network over Airfoill”, AIAA Journal, Vol. 58, No. 10, pp. 4243–4259, 2020; https://doi.org/10.2514/1.J059254.
S. Sekimoto, K. Fujii, S. Hosokawa, H. Akamatsu, “Flow-control Capability of Electronic-substrate-sized Power Supply for a Plasma Actuator”, Sensors & Actuators: A Physical, Elsevier, Vol. 306, No. 1, May 2020, 11951, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2020.111951.

For more details of our study, please go to the page below.

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