US 9,803,666 B2 · Piezoelectric actuators optimized for synthetic jet actuators

Abstract

A synthetic jet actuator and a method for optimizing a synthetic jet actuator to meet operating requirements and physical constraints may include estimating dimension and a resonance frequency of an air cavity of the synthetic jet actuator, and using the estimated resonance frequency to the estimate dimensions of a piezoelectric actuator of the synthetic jet actuator. Individual simulations of the air cavity and piezoelectric actuator, and a coupled simulation may be performed using the estimated dimensions, and the dimensions may be revised and simulations re-executed to match the resonance frequencies of the air chamber and the piezoelectric actuator. The method maybe yield a synthetic jet actuator having a resonance frequency of the piezoelectric actuator that is approximately equal to a quarter-wavelength resonance frequency of the air cavity.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for optimizing a synthetic jet actuator to meet operating requirements and physical constraints on a design of the synthetic jet actuator, the synthetic jet actuator having an air cavity having a cylindrical shape with a cavity diameter and a cavity height, and an orifice, the synthetic jet actuator further including a piezoelectric actuator that is actuated to alternately increase and decrease a cavity volume of the air cavity to draw air into and expel the air from the air cavity, respectively, through the orifice, the method for optimizing comprising:

calculating a resonance frequency for the air cavity based on an estimated cavity diameter for the air cavity;
performing a coupled simulation of the air cavity of the synthetic jet actuator with the piezoelectric actuator using estimated air cavity dimensions and estimated piezoelectric actuator dimensions;
comparing simulation output data from the coupled simulation of the air cavity and the piezoelectric actuator to the operating requirements for the synthetic jet actuator;
and
adjusting at least one of the estimated air cavity dimensions and the estimated piezoelectric actuator dimensions in response to determining that the simulation output data from the coupled simulation does not meet at least one of the operating requirements for the synthetic jet actuator.

2 more elements

A method for optimizing a synthetic jet actuator having an air cavity having a cylindrical shape with a cavity diameter and a cavity height, and an orifice, the synthetic jet actuator further including a piezoelectric actuator that is actuated to alternately increase and decrease a cavity volume of the air cavity to draw air into and expel the air from the air cavity, respectively, through the orifice, the method for optimizing comprising:

determining operating requirements for the synthetic jet actuator;
determining physical constraints on a design of the synthetic jet actuator based on an operating environment for the synthetic jet actuator;
determining estimated synthetic jet actuator dimensions for the synthetic jet actuator based on the operating requirements and the physical constraints;
calculating a resonance frequency for the air cavity based on an estimated cavity diameter for the air cavity;
calculating estimated piezoelectric actuator dimensions for the piezoelectric actuator based on the estimated synthetic jet actuator dimensions and the resonance frequency;
performing simulations of the air cavity of the synthetic jet actuator and the piezoelectric actuator using the estimated synthetic jet actuator dimensions and estimated piezoelectric actuator dimensions;
comparing simulation output data from the simulations of the air cavity and the piezoelectric actuator to the operating requirements for the synthetic jet actuator;
and
adjusting at least one of the estimated synthetic jet actuator dimensions and the estimated piezoelectric actuator dimensions in response to determining that the simulation output data from the simulations does not meet at least one of the operating requirements for the synthetic jet actuator.

6 more elements

A method for optimizing an aerodynamic efficiency of an aircraft having airflow over an aerodynamic surface of the aircraft using active flow control, the method comprising:

configuring a first piezoelectric actuator forming a first circular wall of an air cavity of a synthetic jet actuator to have a first actuator resonant frequency that is approximately equal to an air cavity quarter-wavelength resonant frequency of the air cavity, wherein the air cavity has a cylindrical shape with a cavity diameter and a cavity height and the synthetic jet further includes an orifice, wherein the first piezoelectric actuator is actuated to alternately increase and decrease a cavity volume of the air cavity to draw air into and expel a jet of air from the air cavity, respectively, through the orifice;
installing the synthetic jet actuator at the aerodynamic surface to blow the jet of air into the airflow over the aerodynamic surface to cause the airflow to flow more smoothly over the aerodynamic surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Piezoelectric actuators optimized for synthetic jet actuators

Life of this patent

Piezoelectric actuators optimized for synthetic jet actuators

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20