Abstract of the Offer
We provide thin, conformal DBD plasma actuator kits and controls to actively manage boundary-layer behaviour on passenger cars, reducing drag and improving fuel economy/range. Kits retrofit to body hot-spots (A-pillars, mirror bases, rear deck/fastback, underbody/diffuser, wheel wakes). Seeking OEM/Tier-1 partners for validation (WLTP/coastdown) and integration into next-gen active aero packages.
Description
Dielectric-Barrier-Discharge plasma actuators generate a near-wall body force that drives a tangential wall jet, enabling on-demand control of separation, reattachment and shear-layer dynamics. For cars, strips are placed at:
- Forebody edges & A-pillars: weaken cross-flow separation and mirror-induced vortices.
- Roof-to-rear window / deck-lid: delay separation on notchback/fastback/hatchback geometries.
- Base edges & bumper lip: reduce wake size and pressure drag.
- Wheel arches & underbody/diffuser: mitigate wheel-wake interaction and improve diffuser effectiveness.
System elements: flexible electrode-dielectric laminates, compact HV pulsed drivers, and a controller gating duty cycle by speed, yaw (crosswind), and drive mode. Interfaces: CAN/LIN; integration coexists with shutters, active spoilers and air curtains. Validation via SAE coastdown (light-duty) and WLTP road-load determination/chassis dyno correlation.
Advantages and Innovations
- Active, software-defined aero: adapts forcing to speed/crosswind vs static add-ons.
- Low-profile retrofit: mm-scale thickness, no moving parts; compatible with OEM styling and existing active aero.
- Energy-positive at highway speeds: small electrical input vs reduced drag power—especially relevant for EVs (range gain).
- Integration-ready: CAN control maps, OTA-updateable strategies, diagnostic telemetry.