Systems and methods for active control of surface drag
AssigneeDeep Science, LLC
InventorsDavid William Wine, Roderick A. Hyde, Brian C. Holloway
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid control system includes a deformable surface that covers a body in at least a first and second direction. The first direction is orthogonal to the second direction. The deformable surface includes a bottom side that faces the body and a top side that is opposite the bottom side. The fluid control system also includes at least one deformer between the deformable surface and the body. The at least one deformer is configured to modify a boundary layer of a fluid that is flowing over the deformable surface by selectively deforming the top side of the surface.
Claims26
A fluid flow control system, comprising:
- a surface covering a body in at least a first and second direction, the first direction orthogonal to the second direction, the surface including a bottom side facing the body and a top side opposite the bottom side;
- at least one movable section on the top side of the surface, the at least one movable section configured to move along the top side of the surface to modify a boundary layer of a fluid flowing over the surface;
- a plurality of springs attached to the at least one movable section;
- and
- a plurality of actuators configured to selectively extend or compress the plurality of springs, the plurality of springs moving the at least one movable section in a translating oscillating motion parallel to the surface.
A method, comprising:
- measuring, by at least one sensor, a parameter of a fluid flowing over a surface, the surface covering a body in at least a first and second direction, the first direction orthogonal to the second direction, the surface including a bottom side facing the body and a top side opposite the bottom side;
- generating, by a control circuit, a control signal to modify a boundary layer of the fluid flowing over the surface based on the measured parameter;
- transmitting, by the control circuit, the control signal to at least one movable section on the top side of the surface to move the at least one movable section along the top side of the surface;
- moving, in response to the control signal, the at least one moveable section to modify the boundary layer of the fluid flowing over the surface;
- and
- selectively compressing, by a plurality of actuators, a plurality of springs attached to the at least one movable section to move the at least one movable section in a translating oscillating motion parallel to the surface.
A fluid control system comprising:
- at least one sensor operable to measure a parameter of a fluid flowing over a surface, the surface covering a body in at least a first and second direction, the first direction being orthogonal to the second direction, the surface including a bottom side facing the body and a top side opposite the bottom side;
- a control circuit operable to generate a control signal based on the measured parameter;
- at least one movable section on the top side of the surface, wherein in response to receiving the control signal from the control circuit the at least one movable section moves along the top side of the surface to modify a boundary layer of the fluid flowing over the surface;
- a plurality of springs attached to the at least one movable section;
- and
- a plurality of actuators operable to selectively extend and compress the plurality of springs attached to the at least one movable section to move the at least one movable section in a translating oscillating motion parallel to the surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.