Drag reduction utilizing driven micro-cavities

A system for reducing aerodynamic drag and increasing fluid dynamic separation control, said system comprising:

• a surface configured to move through a fluid at a high speed such that the fluid flows across the surface in a primary flow direction, the fluid flow across the surface defining a velocity gradient ranging from a first velocity adjacent the surface to a free stream velocity at a position spaced a first distance from the surface in an outward direction that is at least substantially perpendicular to the primary flow direction, with the fluid flow thereby defining a boundary layer having a boundary layer thickness at least substantially equal to the first distance;
• a subsurface spaced from the surface in an inward direction, the inward direction being at least substantially opposite the outward direction;
• and
• a plurality of cavity-defining structures projecting generally in the outward direction relative to the subsurface and extending generally transverse to the primary flow direction,
• said cavity-defining structures being spaced apart in the primary flow direction,
• each of said cavity-defining structures presenting a generally upstream face, a generally downstream face, and a midpoint spaced between the upstream face and the downstream face,
• each adjacent pair of said cavity-defining structures and said subsurface at least in part cooperatively defining a cavity therebetween,
• each of said cavities presenting a cavity depth defined as a distance in the inward direction between the surface and the subsurface,
• each of said cavities presenting a cavity length defined as a distance between the midpoints of a corresponding pair of the cavity-defining structures,
• each of said cavity-defining structures at least in part defining at least one interconnecting channel extending between adjacent ones of the cavities to fluidly interconnect said cavities.