초록 ▼

A method to manipulate a fluid flow over a surface is provided. This method may be used to reduce drag, improve the lift to drag (L/D) ratio, attach fluid flow, or reduce flow noise at the surface. This involves flowing a fluid over the surface wherein the fluid contains positively charged ions and

A method to manipulate a fluid flow over a surface is provided. This method may be used to reduce drag, improve the lift to drag (L/D) ratio, attach fluid flow, or reduce flow noise at the surface. This involves flowing a fluid over the surface wherein the fluid contains positively charged ions and electrons. An electric field accelerates ions and electrons in directions parallel to the electric field. A magnetic field at the surface redirects ions and electrons based on their velocity and charge. The magnetic field imparts little force on the relatively heavy and slow moving positive ions but has a significant impact on the relatively fast moving, light weight electrons. This results in a non-zero net change in the total momentum of the positive ions and electrons allowing thrust to be realized. This thrust may be sufficient for vehicle propulsion or manipulation of the fluid flow around the vehicle. Pulsed and traveling wave implementations of this body force enable exploitation of frequencies to which the flow is sensitive, improving effectiveness of this method.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed: 1. An aircraft, comprising:a turbojet engine that provides propulsion for the aircraft;a wing having a trailing edge with flight control surfaces on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the aircraft, the flight control surfaces being immovable relative to the wing;a geometric gr

What is claimed: 1. An aircraft, comprising:a turbojet engine that provides propulsion for the aircraft;a wing having a trailing edge with flight control surfaces on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the aircraft, the flight control surfaces being immovable relative to the wing;a geometric grid of individual electrodes and individual magnets embedded within each of the flight control surfaces, the electrodes and magnets alternating with each other within the grid in more than one direction, the electrodes, when supplied with electrical power, creating electric fields on each of the flight control surfaces, the magnets creating magnetic fields on each of the flight control surfaces;an electron beam window formed in each of the wings upstream from the electrodes and the magnets:an electron beam generator within the wing adjacent each of the windows, each electron beam generator creating an electron beam that passes through one of the windows into a boundary layer of an airstream passing over each of the flight control surfaces, creating positively charged ions and electrons in the boundary layer upstream from each of the grids and downstream from a leading edge of the wing, the ions being accelerated by the electric field in a direction parallel to the electric field, the electrons being accelerated by the electric field in a direction opposite to the ions, and the magnetic field mitigating momentum of the electrons;a conductive upstream terminal positioned on each of the flight control surfaces upstream from the electrodes and the magnets for collecting electrons moving in an upstream direction in response to the electric field generated by the electrodes;a conductive downstream terminal positioned on each of the flight control surfaces downstream from the electrodes and the magnets;a conductive lead extending between the terminals for conveying electrons from the upstream terminal to the downstream terminal, which discharges the electrons into the air flow; anda controller that controls power to the electrodes to affect a boundary layer of air flowing over each of the flight control surfaces to control attitude and position of the aircraft.