Vernier active flow control effector
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsClete M. Boldrin, Ahmed A. Hassan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for controlling the attitude of a mobile platform with a resolution suitable for vernier attitude control. In one embodiment a method includes flowing fluid through an orifice of an aerodynamic surface. The method also includes modifying a boundary layer of the aerodynamic surface with the flowing fluid. Another embodiment provides an aerodynamic member of a mobile platform. The aerodynamic member includes an aerodynamic surface, an orifice, an actuator, and a fluid moving member. The orifice is in the aerodynamic surface and the actuator is subject to friction and backlash. The fluid moving member communicates with the orifice and causes the fluid to flow through the orifice to modify the boundary layer of aerodynamic surface.
Claims19
A method of controlling the attitude of an airborne vehicle, comprising:
- using an actively controlled jet flow actuator that generates oscillating jet and suction pulses of air to control flowing fluid through an orifice of an aerodynamic member of the airborne vehicle, where the orifice is arranged such that the flowing fluid forms a fluid jet directed generally normal to a direction of motion of the airborne vehicle and in communication with a boundary layer adjacent the aerodynamic member;
- using the flowing fluid to modify the boundary layer adjacent the aerodynamic member, to create a modified boundary layer;
- and
- controlling the attitude of the airborne vehicle with a resolution defined by the fluid flowing through the orifice,
- forming a second orifice on said aerodynamic member at a spaced apart location of said orifice;
- and
- causing a fluid to flow through said second orifice to modify the boundary layer on said aerodynamic member at an area adjacent said second orifice,
- wherein the orifice and the second orifice are in flow communication with one another and also with opposing sides of the actuator.
A method of controlling the attitude of a airborne vehicle comprising:
- providing a jet flow actuator disposed within an aerodynamic member of the airborne vehicle;
- forming first and second orifices in said aerodynamic member at spaced apart locations on said aerodynamic member;
- locating said actuator in flow communication with both of said orifices;
- and
- using said jet flow actuator to generate oscillating suction and pulses of fluid flows at both of said orifices, where the fluid flows are directed generally normal to a direction of motion of the airborne vehicle and in communication with the boundary layer, to create a modified boundary layer of air adjacent an outer surface of said aerodynamic member in a vicinity of each of said first and second orifices, which alters an attitude of said airborne vehicle,
- wherein the first orifice and the second orifice are in flow communication with one another and also with opposing sides of the actuator.
A method of controlling the attitude of a airborne vehicle comprising:
- providing an actuator disposed within an aerodynamic member of the airborne vehicle;
- forming first and second orifices in said aerodynamic member at spaced apart locations on said aerodynamic member;
- locating said actuator in flow communication with both of said orifices;
- monitoring an actual attitude of the airborne vehicle;
- comparing the actual attitude to a desired attitude for said airborne vehicle;
- and
- controlling the actuator to cause an oscillating fluid flow through said first and second orifices that modifies said boundary layer in a manner that enables said actual attitude to be brought into conformance with said desired attitude.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.