초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a flow control device and more particularly to reactive self-contained modular flow control device with deployable flow effectors. The present invention further relates to a method of operating the flow control device. One embodiment of the present invention includes

The present invention relates to a flow control device and more particularly to reactive self-contained modular flow control device with deployable flow effectors. The present invention further relates to a method of operating the flow control device. One embodiment of the present invention includes a method of controlling air flow across a surface of an aircraft under certain flight conditions comprising the steps of sensing fluid separation from the surface by measuring the pressure on the surface; determining a standard deviation of the pressure measurements over a period of time; and deploying a flow effector in response to the standard deviation of the pressure measurements exceeding a predetermined threshold number.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An aircraft comprising at least one flow surface, the at least one flow surface comprises a self-contained module which is inserted into the flow surface, the self-contained module comprises at least one sensor with a signal for sensing flow conditions on the at least one flo

What is claimed is: 1. An aircraft comprising at least one flow surface, the at least one flow surface comprises a self-contained module which is inserted into the flow surface, the self-contained module comprises at least one sensor with a signal for sensing flow conditions on the at least one flow surface and at least one flow effector; and a controller wherein the at least one flow effector is activated by the controller in response to the signal from the at least one sensor. 2. The aircraft in claim 1, wherein the controller is integral to the self-contained module. 3. The aircraft in claim 1, wherein the self-contained module has an upper surface which is flush with the flow surface. 4. The aircraft in claim 1, wherein the flow effector is capable of cycling at frequencies of at least 20 Hz. 5. The aircraft in claim 1, wherein the self-contained module is arranged in order to generate vortices along a trailing edge of the flow surface. 6. The aircraft in claim 1, wherein the controller is a proportional-integral-derivative controller, an adaptive predictive controller or an adaptive predictive feedback controller. 7. The aircraft in claim 1, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor. 8. An aircraft comprising at least one flow surface, the at least one flow surface comprising a self-contained module which is inserted into the flow surface, the self-contained module comprising at least one sensor with a signal for sensing flow conditions on the at least one flow surface and at least one flow effector. 9. The aircraft in claim 8, wherein the self-contained module has an upper surface which is flush with the flow surface. 10. The aircraft in claim 8, wherein the flow effector is capable of cycling at frequencies of at least 20 Hz. 11. The aircraft in claim 8, wherein the self-contained module is arranged in order to generate vortices along a trailing edge of the flow surface. 12. The aircraft in claim 8, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor. 13. The aircraft in claim 8, wherein at least three self-contained modules are inserted at different points along the flow surface between a leading edge and a trailing edge of the flow surface. 14. The aircraft in claim 8, wherein the self-contained module further comprises a controller. 15. An aircraft comprising at least two flow surfaces, the at least two flow surfaces comprising at least six self-contained modules, which are inserted into the at least two flow surfaces, the modules comprising at least one sensor with a signal for sensing flow conditions on the flow surface to which it is inserted and at least one flow effector. 16. The aircraft in claim 15, wherein the at least two flow surfaces are wings. 17. The aircraft in claim 15, wherein the modules have upper surfaces which are flush with the flow surface. 18. The aircraft in claim 15, wherein the flow effectors of the modules are capable of cycling at frequencies of at least 20 Hz. 19. The aircraft in claim 15, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor. 20. The aircraft in claim 16, wherein at least three self-contained modules are inserted at different points along the flow surface between a leading edge and a trailing edge of each of the wing.