Airfoil trailing edge plasma flow control apparatus and method
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsBradley Alan Osborne, Christopher Daniel Wilson
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Abstract
A flow control system and method especially well adapted for use on a Coanda surface. In one embodiment a plurality of plasma actuators are disposed over a Coanda surface of a wing of an aircraft. The actuators are selectively energized to either delay the onset of boundary layer flow separation from the Coanda surface, or to promote flow separation. One embodiment discloses using dual mode plasma actuators on a Coanda surface. The system and method is applicable to a wide variety of aerodynamic surfaces where control over the separation of a boundary layer flow over a trailing edge surface is desired.
Claims20
A flow control method for a mobile platform, comprising:
- arranging at least one plasma actuator on a trailing edge surface of a portion of a mobile platform;
- applying a voltage to said plasma actuator;
- and
- controlling said voltage to said plasma actuator to ionize air in a vicinity of said plasma actuator adjacent to said trailing edge, to cause an induced flow that operates to influence at least one of attachment or separation of a boundary layer flow over said trailing edge surface.
A flight control method for an airborne mobile platform, comprising:
- arranging a first plasma actuator on a first portion of a Coanda surface of said mobile platform;
- arranging a second plasma actuator on a second portion of a Coanda surface of said mobile platform;
- selectively applying a voltage to one of said first and second plasma actuators to energize said one actuator and cause ionization of air in a vicinity of said one actuator, said ionization of air inducing a fluid flow adjacent said one actuator that influences a path of said boundary layer over said one actuator.
A flow control system for influencing a boundary layer flowing over a Coanda surface, the system comprising:
- at least one plasma actuator disposed on said Coanda surface;
- a voltage source for applying a voltage to said plasma actuator sufficiently high to cause said plasma actuator to ionize air in a vicinity of said plasma actuator, said ionization of air influencing a boundary layer flow over said Coanda surface.
An aircraft comprising:
- a flow control system for influencing a boundary layer flowing over a Coanda surface of the aircraft, the system comprising:
- at least one plasma actuator disposed on said Coanda surface;
- a voltage source for applying a voltage to said plasma actuator sufficiently high to cause said plasma actuator to ionize air in a vicinity of said plasma actuator, said ionization of air influencing a boundary layer flow over said Coanda surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.