High efficiency low power (HELP) active flow control methodology for simple-hinged flap high-lift systems

A winged aircraft comprising:

• a pneumatic power supply;
• a fuselage;
• a wing connected to the fuselage;
• an engine installed under the wing;
• and
• a simple-hinged flap assembly connected to the wing and having:
• a simple-hinged flap having a leading airfoil section that is pivotably connected to a trailing airfoil section via an intervening hinge;
• and
• at least one active flow control (AFC) actuator assembly connected to or integrally formed with the simple-hinged flap, wherein the AFC actuator assembly is in fluid communication with the pneumatic power supply and receives an inlet mass flowrate therefrom, and includes:
• a preconditioning upstream array of fluidic oscillators arranged in a first row in a spanwise direction of the wing of the winged aircraft, and collectively configured to emit a first outlet mass flowrate in response to the inlet mass flowrate, wherein the first outlet mass flowrate preconditions a boundary layer of a natural flow around the simple-hinged flap assembly before flow separation when the winged aircraft is in flight;
• a downstream array of steady-blowing jet nozzles spaced apart from the preconditioning upstream array of fluidic oscillators and arranged in a second row, wherein the downstream array of steady-blowing jet nozzles is arranged in a spanwise direction of the wing of the winged aircraft, and is collectively configured to emit a second outlet mass flowrate that substantially exceeds the first outlet mass flowrate, the second outlet mass flowrate controls separation of the natural flow over the wing of the winged aircraft when the winged aircraft is in flight.

An active flow control (AFC) actuator assembly for a simple-hinged flap aboard an aircraft having a pneumatic power supply, the simple-hinged flap having a leading airfoil section that is pivotably connected to a trailing airfoil section via an intervening hinge, the AFC actuator assembly comprising:

• a housing defining a plenum chamber and a pneumatic feed tube configured to connect to the pneumatic power supply, thereby receiving an inlet mass flowrate from the pneumatic power supply, wherein the housing is connectable to or integrally formed with the simple-hinged flap;
• a preconditioning upstream array of fluidic oscillators arranged in a first row in a spanwise direction of a wing of a winged aircraft, and collectively configured to emit a first outlet mass flowrate in response to the inlet mass flowrate, wherein the first outlet mass flowrate preconditions a boundary layer of a natural flow around the simple-hinged flap before flow separation when the winged aircraft is in flight;
• and
• a downstream array of steady-blowing jet nozzles spaced apart from the preconditioning upstream array of fluidic oscillators, and arranged in a second row downstream of the first row, wherein the downstream array of steady-blowing jet nozzles is arranged in a spanwise direction of the wing of the winged aircraft, and is collectively configured to emit a second outlet mass flowrate that substantially exceeds the first outlet mass flowrate, wherein the second outlet mass flowrate controls separation of the natural flow over the wing of the winged aircraft when the winged aircraft is in flight.