Active Control of Separated Flow

The performance of many objects is primarily dictated by the flow of surrounding air or water. For example, most of vehicle fuel usage is required to overcome aerodynamic drag. Conversely, the energy in flowing fluids can be harnessed as a renewable energy source. We can manipulate the flow around an object -- using, for example, pulsed jets of air or movement of the object surface -- to minimise vehicle drag or maximise energy generation. This thesis studies the control of flow around two generic geometries to provide insight into aerodynamic performance improvements across a broad range of engineering applications.