Drag modification systems for aircraft and related methods
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorSteve G. Mackin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Drag modification systems for aircraft and related methods. An example system for modifying drag on an aircraft includes a boundary layer intake plenum and an eductor. The eductor defines a primary inlet to receive a primary fluid, a secondary inlet in fluid communication with the intake plenum to receive a secondary fluid entrained from the intake plenum, and an outlet to exhaust a mixed flow including the primary fluid and the secondary fluid. The primary fluid is a motive fluid having flow parameters to generate a suction at the secondary inlet.
Claims21
A system to modify drag on an aircraft, the system comprising:
- a boundary layer intake plenum mounted to an exterior surface of a fuselage of the aircraft;
- an eductor defining:
- a primary inlet to receive a primary fluid pressurized air from a cabin of the aircraft;
- a secondary inlet in fluid communication with the intake plenum configured to receive a secondary fluid entrained from the intake plenum and generate a suction at the secondary inlet to ingest boundary layer air and modify a boundary layer of the aircraft by reducing the boundary layer such that the portion of the boundary layer ingested does not build up or locally spill into the wake of the aircraft to reduce drag during flight, the pressurized air from the cabin of the aircraft to provide the eductor a propulsive force;
- and
- an outlet to exhaust a mixed flow including the primary fluid and the secondary fluid.
A system to modify drag of an aircraft, the system including:
- a manifold defining a passageway to extend between an exterior of a fuselage of the aircraft and an exhaust of the aircraft, the passageway including:
- a first inlet in fluid communication with a first motive fluid, the first motive fluid including pressurized air from a cabin of the aircraft;
- a second inlet in fluid communication with the exterior of the fuselage, the second inlet flush mounted relative to the exterior of the fuselage at least a portion of the second inlet has a curvature complementary to a curvature of the exterior of the fuselage, the manifold configured to receive the first motive fluid and generate a suction at the second inlet to ingest a boundary layer airflow to reduce the boundary layer such that the portion of the boundary layer ingested does not build up or locally spill into the wake of the aircraft to increase at least one of a velocity or acceleration of the boundary layer airflow during flight to reduce drag;
- and
- an outlet in fluid communication with the exhaust.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.