Microstructures for reducing noise of a fluid dynamic structure
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsAnurag Gupta, Scott Michael Miller, Thierry Maeder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid dynamic structure includes a surface and a microstructure mounted on the surface. The microstructure is defined by a plurality of peaks and valleys (i.e., riblets) and includes a transition region in which each peak and valley changes from a first profile to a second profile along a chord length of the structure. The peaks and/or valleys may have a variable dimension along the length of the microstructure. The peaks and valleys can be non-linear along the chord length and have a smooth transition from the first profile to the second profile. The different profiles of the microstructure are optimized to reduce noise generated by turbulent fluid flow across the structure.
Claims16
A fluid dynamic structure comprising:
- a surface;
- and
- a microstructure defined by a plurality of peaks and valleys on at least a portion of said surface, the microstructure including a transition region in which each peak and valley changes from a first profile defined by a first spacing and a first height to a second profile defined by a second spacing and a second height at a predetermined distance along a chord length of said fluid dynamic structure while maintaining a very small riblet angle relative to a direction of air flow over the fluid dynamic structure, the second profile being different than the first profile,
- wherein the microstructure reduces noise generated by turbulent airflow across the fluid dynamic structure, and
- wherein the peaks and valleys extend along a chord length of the fluid dynamic structure and parallel to the direction of air flow over the fluid dynamic structure.
A fluid dynamic structure comprising:
- a surface;
- and
- a microstructure defined by a plurality of riblets on at least a portion of said surface, the plurality of riblets including a first profile in which each riblet has a first width and a first height at a first location along a chord length of said fluid dynamic structure, and a second profile in which each riblet has a second width and a second height at a second location at a predetermined distance along the chord length of said dynamic fluid structure while maintaining a very small riblet angle relative to a direction of air flow over the fluid dynamic structure, wherein the second profile is different than the first profile, and wherein the second location is different than the first location, and wherein the microstructure reduces noise generated by turbulent airflow across the fluid dynamic structure, and wherein the riblets extend along a chord length of the fluid dynamic structure and parallel to a direction of air flow over the fluid dynamic structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.