Modular flow control actuator
AssigneeCombustion Research and Flow Technology, Inc.
InventorsNeeraj Sinha, Srinivasan Arunajatesan
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Abstract
The present invention is a flow control actuator capable of exciting a fluid via the coupling of edge tones generated along a wedge and resonance generated within a cavity. The invention consists of a resonance cavity and ejector port separated by a wedge with fluid flow provided by a pressurized cavity and directed through a throat over the wedge. Several actuators may be arranged independently or in a coupled arrangement to generate a pulsed fluid field of desired shape.
Claims17
A method for augmenting frequencies in a fluid stream comprising the steps of:
- (a) exciting said fluid stream via resonance;
- (b) exciting said fluid stream via edge tones;
- and
- (c) coupling said resonance and said edge tones within said fluid stream.
A flow control actuator for exciting a fluid comprising:
- (a) a stagnation chamber;
- (b) an inlet port attached to said stagnation chamber, said inlet port communicating said fluid to said stagnation chamber;
- (c) a resonance cavity;
- (d) an ejector port directing said fluid from said flow control actuator;
- (e) a wedge disposed between said resonance cavity and said ejector port;
- and
- (f) a throat disposed between said wedge and said stagnation chamber, said
- throat directing said fluid across said wedge thereby partitioning flow of said fluid between said ejector port and said resonance cavity.
A flow control apparatus comprising at least two flow control actuators for exciting a plurality of fluids thereafter ejecting said fluids into a flow field, each said flow control actuator comprising:
- (a) a stagnation chamber;
- (b) an inlet port attached to said stagnation chamber, said inlet port communicating one said fluid to said stagnation chamber;
- (c) a resonance cavity;
- (d) an ejector port directing one said fluid from said flow control actuator;
- (e) a wedge disposed between said resonance cavity and said ejector port;
- and
- (f) a throat disposed between said wedge and said stagnation chamber, said
- throat directing one said fluid across said wedge thereby partitioning flow of one said fluid between said ejector port and said resonance cavity.
A flow control apparatus comprising at least two flow control actuators for exciting a fluid thereafter ejecting said fluid into a flow field, each said flow control actuator comprising:
- (a) a stagnation chamber;
- (b) a plenum communicating said fluid into said stagnation chamber of each said flow control actuator;
- (c) a resonance cavity;
- (d) an ejector port directing said fluid from said flow control actuator;
- (e) a wedge disposed between said resonance cavity and said ejector port;
- and
- (f) a throat disposed between said wedge and said stagnation chamber, said
- throat directing said fluid across said wedge thereby partitioning flow of said fluid between said ejector port and said resonance cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.