Methods and apparatus for reduction of aerodynamic drag
AssigneeRamot at Tel-Aviv University Ltd.
InventorsAvraham Seifert, Vitali Palei
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of reducing aerodynamic drag on a moving blunt-edged body, the method comprising actively generating a flow of air at a blunt edge of a body and using the generated flow of air to control an external flow of air moving relative to an edge of a moving blunt-body.
Claims19
A method of reducing aerodynamic drag on a moving body having a blunt trailing side defined by edges, wherein movement of the moving body establishes an external flow of air around the object, the method comprising:
- (a) actively generating a flow of air adjacent an edge of the trailing side;
- (b) expelling the flow of air through a pair of output flow ports in a direction generally away from the edge and at an angle to the blunt trailing side;
- (c) oscillating the flow of air between the pair of output flow ports, wherein a change in direction of the flow due to the oscillating is in a direction parallel to the edge;
- and
- (d) using the generated flow of air to control the external flow of air moving relative to the edge.
An apparatus adapted to reduce aerodynamic drag on a moving body having a blunt trailing side defined by edges, wherein movement of the moving body establishes an external flow of air around the object, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) an apparatus housing including a pair of output flow ports through which at least one flow of air is expelled;
- and
- (b) a flow generator within the housing, adapted to be mounted adjacent an edge of the blunt trailing side of the body, the flow generator adapted to generate the at least one flow of air which controls the external flow at the edge of the trailing side on which the apparatus housing is mounted,
- wherein each output flow port of the pair direct the at least one flow of air in a direction generally away from the edge and at an angle to the blunt trailing side and wherein the at least one flow of air oscillates between the pair output flow ports, wherein a change in direction of the flow due to the oscillating between the pair of output flow ports is in a direction parallel to the edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.