A self-computing boundary layer? Passive flow control through wave engineering

Abstract: Can a boundary layer be made to compute its own control logic? Metamaterials are engineered composite structures, able to invoke resonant and dispersive wave phenomena in classical fields such as optics, acoustics, and electrodynamics. Their resulting dynamic properties go beyond (i.e. meta) what is considered possible in nature. Such a key property of interest is the so-called “bandgap", a range in which waves are passively suppressed when interacting with the composite structure. This talk will review some recent activities in pursue of Metamaterial-derived concepts for the control and attenuation of wave-like boundary layer instabilities, such as Tollmien-Schlichting waves and Crossflow Instabilities. Recent numerical, theoretical and experimental work from the group of Flow Control at TU Delft will be discussed, followed by an outlook of current challenges and future directions.

Bio: Marios Kotsonis is Professor of Flow Control at Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. His interests cover laminar-turbulent transition, flow instabilities, flow control and flow actuators, using theoretical, numerical and experimental techniques. He is recipient of the Veni and Vici grants of the Dutch Research Council and Starting, Proof-of-Concept and Consolidator grants of the European Research Council.