A Novel Synthetic Jet Created by a Deformable Dynamic Surface.

The conventional synthetic jet actuator typically involves an actuator oscillating periodically within a surface cavity to produce a zero-mass-flux jet. Recently, it was discovered that an oscillating deformable air-water interface at specific modes can generate a synthetic jet with high energy efficiency (Wang & Gharib, 2022). In this study, we investigate a generalized synthetic jet actuator using various elastic surface materials (e.g., latex membrane) and working fluids (e.g., water), and systematically compare it with the traditional design. We will highlight some notable features of the new synthetic jet, including lower excitation requirements and higher momentum flux. These fundamental findings could improve the performance capabilities of synthetic jet actuators for various flow control applications.