Systems and methods for active control of surface drag using intermittent or variable actuation
AssigneeEnterprise Science Fund, LLC
InventorsIvan Marusic, Alexander J. Smits, David William Wine
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system includes a surface, an actuator, and processing circuitry. The surface includes one or more non-actuating zones and one or more actuatable zones. The actuator is configured to a flow property of a fluid that flows over the one or more actuatable zones of the surface. The processing circuitry is configured to obtain a value of a parameter of the fluid that flows over the surface, and operate the actuator to adjust the flow property of the fluid that flows over the one or more actuatable zones based on the value of the parameter of the fluid.
Claims33
A fluid control system, comprising:
- a surface comprising:
- one or more non-actuating zones over which a fluid flows, and
- one or more actuatable zones over which the fluid flows;
- an actuator in the actuatable zone of the surface to inject momentum in-plane with the surface, wherein the actuator is positioned within the actuatable zone for actuation:
- in-plane with respect to the surface, and
- in a spanwise direction with respect to a direction of the fluid flow over the surface;
- and
- processing circuitry to:
- obtain a value of a parameter of the fluid;
- and
- operate the actuator to inject momentum into the fluid in the spanwise direction to change a flow property of the fluid based on the obtained value of the parameter of the fluid.
A method for controlling a property of a fluid, the method comprising:
- providing a surface comprising one or more actuatable zones and one or more non-actuating zones;
- obtaining a value of a parameter of a fluid that flows over the one or more actuatable zones;
- and
- operating, based on the value of the parameter of the fluid, an actuator to change a flow property of the fluid that flows over the one or more actuatable zones, the actuator operable to cause a motion of the surface that is:
- in-plane with respect to the surface, and
- in a direction streamwise or spanwise with respect to the direction of fluid flow over the surface.
A wind turbine comprising:
- a plurality of turbine blades;
- a base to support the turbine blades, wherein the turbine blades are configured to rotate relative to the base as a fluid flows across the plurality of turbine blades;
- and
- a fluid control system positioned on at least one of the turbine blades, the fluid control system comprising:
- an actuator to change a flow property of a fluid that flows over one or more actuatable zones of a surface, wherein the actuator is configured to be actuated:
- in-plane with respect to the surface, and
- transverse with respect to the direction of fluid flow;
- and
- processing circuitry to:
- obtain a value of a parameter of the fluid;
- and
- operate the actuator to change the flow property of the fluid based on the value of the parameter of the fluid.
An aircraft comprising:
- a fuselage;
- a component comprising at least one of a wing or a flight control surface coupled with the fuselage;
- and
- a fluid control system positioned on a surface of at least one of the fuselage or the component, the fluid control system comprising:
- an actuator to change a flow property of a fluid that flows over one or more actuatable zones of the fuselage or the component by an actuation that is:
- in-plane with respect to the surface, and
- transverse to the direction of fluid flow;
- and
- processing circuitry to:
- obtain a value of a parameter of the fluid;
- and
- operate the actuator to change the flow property of the fluid based on the value of the parameter of the fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.