Active Drag Reduction using Neural Networks

This paper presents the application of a neural network controller to the problem of active drag reduction in a fully turbulent 3D fluid flow regime. The neural network learns a function nearly identical to an analytically derived control law. We then demonstrate the ability of a neural controller to maintain a drag-reduced flow in a fully turbulent fluid simulation. Finally we examine the amount of parameter variation that may be required for a physical implementation of such a neural controller.