System and method for controlling the flow of a conductive fluid over a surface

A control surface, immersible in a conductive fluid having a direction of flow over said control surface, comprising:

• surface structure;
• a plurality of magnets affixed to the surface structure to create a magnetic field having magnetic flux lines;
• an array of paired electrodes arranged on the surface structure so that an electric field created between adjacent electrodes is approximately orthogonal to the magnetic flux lines;
• said electric field and said magnetic field interacting to form a Lorentz force orthogonal to both the electric field and magnetic flux lines in the presence of an electrical current flowing between adjacent electrodes in alignment with the electric field;
• and
• control means for energizing the paired electrodes to create an electric field between adjacent electrodes in a time-multiplexed manner so that at least a first subset of the paired electrodes are energized at a time different from when a second subset of the paired electrodes are energized to form said Lorentz force with a desired distribution such that a vortex wavefront is formed in said conductive fluid, said vortex wavefront being perpendicular to said direction of flow over said control surface.

Apparatus for controlling flow of a conductive fluid over a control surface comprising:

• a matrix of electrodes spread over the control surface in columns;
• a means for biasing selected electrodes in a multiplicity of pairs so that two of the electrodes within the matrix of electrodes function as an electrode pair, with each electrode pair having an anode electrode and a cathode electrode, and so that an electrical current flows from the anode electrode of each electrode pair through the conductive fluid to the cathode electrode of the electrode pair;
• a means for generating a magnetic field having magnetic flux lines substantially orthogonal to the electrical current flowing through the conductive fluid between the anode and cathode electrodes;
• said electrical current and said magnetic field interacting to form a Lorentz force orthogonal to both the electrical current and magnetic flux lines, which Lorentz force generates a vortex wavefront in said conductive fluid;
• said biasing means further including a means for time multiplexing the electrical current to assure a pattern of Lorentz forces such that said vortex wavefront is substantially perpendicular to a direction of flow of said conductive fluid, said wavefront also propagating in a direction substantially parallel to said direction of flow.

An apparatus for generating at least one vortex wavefront adjacent to a control surface as the control surface flows through a conductive fluid, the apparatus comprising:

• a matrix of electrodes spread over the control surface in columns of adjacent electrode pairs;
• a means for energizing selected electrode pairs such that each energized electrode pair includes an anode and a cathode and electrical current flows through the conductive fluid from the anode to the cathode of each selected electrode pair;
• a means for generating a magnetic field having magnetic flux lines which are substantially orthogonal to the electrical current flowing between the anode and cathode of each selected electrode pair;
• the electrical current and the magnetic field interacting to form a Lorentz force orthogonal to both the electrical current and the magnetic flux lines, which Lorentz force generates a vortex wavefront in said conductive fluid;
• said energizing means further including a means for time multiplexing the electrical current to assure a pattern of Lorentz forces such that said vortex wavefront is substantially perpendicular to the conductive fluid flow, said wavefront also propagating in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of said conductive fluid flow.