Low drag vortex generators

A device for positioning on a surface used to control the flow of a medium, said device being for generating at least one vortex adjacent the flow control surface, said device including:

• a first sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said first sidewall having:
• a first tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a first apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a wall extending in associating with said first apex portion and for interacting therewith to eject flowing portion and for interacting therewith to eject flowing medium at said first apex portion away from the flow control surface when said device is positioned thereon, said wall being comprised of:
• a second sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said second sidewall having:
• a second tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a second tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium, said first sidewall further having;
• a first center portion between said first tip portion and said apex portion, and said second sidewall further having:
• a second center portion between said second tip portion and said apex portion, sand first and second center portions being at a greater angle to each other than said first and second tip portions and said first and second apex portions to form an Ogee like planform and said first and second apex portions are joined at an apex, said apex extending in the downstream direction to form a Y shaped planform.

A device for positioning on a surface used to control the flow of a medium, said device being for generating at least one vortex adjacent the flow control surface, said device including:

• a first sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said first sidewall having:
• a first tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a first apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a second sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said second sidewall having:
• a second tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a second apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium, said first and second apex portions being joined at an apex, said first sidewall further having:
• a first outer edge;
• a first inner edge for positioning at the flow control surface;
• a first tip positioned to be at the furthest location of said first sidewall upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a shape with the distance from first inner edge to first outer edge increasing from said first tip to said apex, said first outer edge being curved to gradually increase its angle with said first inner edge from said apex to said first tip, said second sidewall further having:
• a second outer edge;
• a second inner edge for positioning at the flowcontrol surface;
• a second tip positioned to be at the furthest location of said second sidewall upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a shape with the distance from second inner edge to second outer edge increasing from said second tip to said apex, said second outer edge being curved to gradually increase its angle with said second inner edge from said apex to said second tip.

A device for positioning on a surface used to control the flow of a medium, said device being for generating at least one vortex adjacent the flow control surface, said device including:

• a first sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said first sidewall having:
• a first tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a first apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a second sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said second sidewall having:
• a second tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a second apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium, said first and second apex portions being joined at an apex, said first sidewall further having:
• a first outer edge;
• a first inner edge for positioning at the flow control surface;
• and
• a first tip positioned to be at the furthest location of said first sidewall upstream in the flowing medium, said first outer edge extending from said first tip to said first apex portion and having at least one curved portion therealong, and said second sidewall further having:
• a second outer edge;
• a second inner edge for positioning at the flow control surface;
• and
• a second tip positioned to be at the furthest location of said second sidewall upstream in the flowing medium, said second outer edge extending from said second tip to said second apex portion and having at least one curved portion therealong.

A device for positioning on a surface used to control the flow of a medium, said device being for generating at least one vortex adjacent the flow control surface, said device including:

• a first sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said first sidewall having:
• a first tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a first apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a second sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said second sidewall having:
• a second tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• and
• a second apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium, said first and second apex portions being joined at an apex, said first sidewall further having:
• a first convex outer edge;
• and
• a first inner edge for positioning at the flow control surface, said first sidewall extending between said first convex outer edge and said first inner edge, and said second sidewall further having:
• a second convex outer edge;
• and
• a second inner edge for positioning at the flow control surface, said second sidewall extending between said second convex outer edge and said second inner edge.

A device for positioning on a surface used to control the flow of a medium, said device being for generating at least one vortex adjacent the flow control surface, said device including:

• a first sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said first sidewall having:
• a first tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• a first apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• a first sidewall first side surface;
• a first sidewall second side surface spaced from said first sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom;
• and
• a first center portion between said first tip portion and said apex portion, and
• a wall extending in association with said first apex portion and for interacting therewith to eject flowing medium at said first apex portion away from the flow control surface when said device is positioned thereon, said wall extending in association with said first apex portion is:
• a second sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said second sidewall having:
• a second tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• a second apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• a second sidewall first side surface;
• a second sidewall second side surface spaced from said second sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom;
• and
• a second center portion between said second tip portion and said apex portion, said first and second center portions being at a greater angle to each other than said first and second tip portions and said first and second apex portions to form an Ogee planform.

A device for positioning on a surface used to control the flow of a medium, said device being for generating at least one vortex adjacent the flow control surface, said device including:

• a first sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said first sidewall having:
• a first tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• a first apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• a first sidewall first side surface;
• and
• a first sidewall second side surface spaced from said first sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom;
• a wall extending in association with said first apex portion and for interacting therewith to eject flowing medium at said first apex portion away from the flow control surface when said device is positioned thereon, wherein said wall extending in association with said first apex portion is:
• a second sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said second sidewall having:
• a second tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• a second apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• a second sidewall first side surface;
• and
• a second sidewall second side surface spaced from said second sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom;
• and
• an apex at which said first and second apex portions are joined, said first sidewall first side surface and said second sidewall first side surface intersecting at said apex, and wherein said first and second sidewalls are each concave reducing the angle therebetween from said first and second tips to said apex.

A device for positioning on a surface used to control the flow of a medium, said device being for generating at least one vortex adjacent the flow control surface, said device including:

• a first sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said first sidewall having:
• a first tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• a first apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• a first sidewall first side surface;
• and
• a first sidewall second side surface spaced from said first sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom;
• a wall extending in association with said first apex portion and for interacting therewith to eject flowing medium at said first apex portion away from the flow control surface when said device is positioned thereon, wherein said wall extending in association with said first apex portion is:
• a second sidewall for positioning upstanding from the flow control surface, said second sidewall having:
• a second tip portion positioned for facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• a second apex portion positioned for being generally downstream in the flowing medium;
• a second sidewall first side surface;
• and
• a second sidewall second side surface spaced from said second sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom;
• and
• an apex at which said first and second apex portions are joined, said first sidewall first side surface and said second sidewall first side surface intersecting at said apex, and wherein said first and second sidewalls are each convex, increasing the angle therebetween from said first and second tips to said apex.

Vortex generator means including:

• a flow control surface over which a medium flows from upstream to downstream;
• a plurality of vortex generators positioned on said flow control surface in a cross-stream array, each of said vortex generators being generally V shaped, spaced from adjacent vortex generators and having:
• a first sidewall positioned upstanding from said flow control surface, said first sidewall having:
• a first tip portion facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• a first apex portion positioned downstream in the flowing medium from said first tip portion;
• a first sidewall first side surface;
• and
• a first sidewall second side surface spaced from said first sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom;
• a wall extending to intersect said first apex portion for interacting therewith to eject flowing medium at said first apex portion away from said flow control surface, and wherein said wall is:
• a second sidewall upstanding from the flow control surface, said second sidewall having;
• a second tip portion facing generally upstream in the flowing medium;
• a second apex portion positioned downstream in the flowing medium from said second tip portion;
• a second sidewall first side surface;
• and
• a second sidewall second side surface spaced from said second sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom;
• and
• an apex, wherein said first and second apex portions are joined at said apex.

Vortex generator means including:

• a flow control surface over which a medium flows from upstream to downstream;
• and
• at least two vortex generators positioned on said flow control surface in a cross-stream array, each of said vortex generators being spaced from any adjacent vortex generator and having first and second sidewalls positioned upstanding from said flow control surface, each of said sidewalls having:
• a tip portion positioned upstream in said flowing medium;
• an apex portion positioned downstream in said flowing medium;
• a sidewall first side surface;
• and
• a sidewall second side surface spaced from said sidewall first side surface and facing generally the opposite direction therefrom, said apex portions of said sidewalls intersecting to form an apex at which flowing medium is ejected away from said flow control surface, said sidewall first side surfaces intersecting at said apex.