초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a missile or aircraft with a hierarchical, modular, closed-loop flow control system and more particularly to aircraft or missile with a flow control system for enhanced aerodynamic control, maneuverability and stabilization. The present invention further relates to a

The present invention relates to a missile or aircraft with a hierarchical, modular, closed-loop flow control system and more particularly to aircraft or missile with a flow control system for enhanced aerodynamic control, maneuverability and stabilization. The present invention further relates to a method of operating the flow control system. Various embodiments of the flow control system of the present invention involve different elements including flow sensors, active flow control device or activatable flow effectors and logic devices with closed loop control architecture. The sensors of these various embodiments are used to estimate or determine flow conditions on the various surfaces of a missile or aircraft. The active flow control device or activatable flow effectors of these various embodiments create on-demand flow disturbances, preferably micro-disturbances, at different points along the various aerodynamic surfaces of the missile or aircraft to achieve a desired stabilization or maneuverability effect. The logic devices are embedded with a hierarchical control structure allowing for rapid, real-time control at the flow surface.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A missile or a munition comprising a. an aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces;b. at least two air flow control zones on the same aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces, at least one of the at least two air flow control zones comprising at least one activatable

1. A missile or a munition comprising a. an aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces;b. at least two air flow control zones on the same aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces, at least one of the at least two air flow control zones comprising at least one activatable flow effector capable of being activated and deactivated, wherein the at least one activatable flow effector is deactivated when the activatable flow effector is flush or nearly flush to the aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces of the missile or munition on or in which the activatable flow effector is located; andc. one or more digital logic devices, the digital logic devices having a separate local, closed loop control system for each flow control zone for activating and deactivating the at least one activatable flow effector to, in part, maneuver the missile or munition, and a global control system to coordinate the local control systems. 2. The missile or munition in claim 1, wherein the activatable flow effector is a plasma actuator. 3. The missile or munition in claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor having a signal, wherein the separate local, closed loop control system activates and deactivates the at least one activatable flow effector based on at least in part the signal of the at least one sensor. 4. The missile or munition in claim 1, wherein the separate local closed loop control system monitors the at least one activatable flow effector and/or the at least one sensor and adjusts an output to take into account a lower performance or a failure of either the at least one activatable flow effector; or the at least one sensor. 5. The missile or munition in claim 1, comprising at least two digital logic devices wherein the local closed loop control system for at least one of the air flow control zones comprising the at least one activatable flow effector resides on one of the at least two digital logic devices and the global control system resides on the second of the at least two digital logic devices. 6. The missile or munition in claim 1 wherein the global control system calculates, estimates or predicts a desired moment for the aerodynamic surface or the aerodynamically-coupled surfaces and outputs a signal corresponding to a desired local moment to the local closed loop control system for at least one of the air flow control zones comprising the at least one activatable flow effector. 7. The missile or munition in claim 1 wherein the activatable flow effector is a deployable flow effector. 8. A missile, or a munition comprising a. at least two air flow control zones on the missile, or munition; at least one of the air flow control zones comprising at least one activatable flow effector, capable of being activated and deactivated, wherein the at least one activatable flow effector is deactivated when the activatable flow effector is flush or nearly flush to the aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces of the missile or munition on or in which the activatable flow effector is located, and at least one sensor having a signal used to estimate or determine a flow condition of the surface of the missile, or munition or used to estimate or predict the missile's, or munition's position or relative spatial orientation; andb. one or more digital logic devices, the digital logic devices having a separate local, closed loop control system for each flow control zone, and a global control system to coordinate the local control system wherein the separate local, closed loop control system activates and deactivates the at least one activatable flow effector based on at least in part the signal of the at least one sensor. 9. The missile, or munition in claim 8 wherein the global control system takes as input desired body moments and supplies as output lift distribution for the aerodynamic surfaces, necessary to achieve the desired body moments. 10. The missile, or munition in claim 8, wherein the local closed loop control system monitors the at least one activatable flow effector, and/or the at least one sensor and adjusts an output to take into account a lower performance or a failure of either the at least one flow control device or flow effector, or the at least one sensor. 11. The missile, or munition in claim 8, comprising at least two digital logic devices wherein the local closed loop control system for the at least one of the air flow control zones comprising the at least one activatable flow effector resides on one of the at least two digital logic devices and the global control system resides on the second of the at least two digital logic devices. 12. The missile, or munition in claim 8, wherein the global control system calculates, estimates or predicts a desired moment for the aerodynamic surface or the aerodynamically-coupled surfaces and outputs a signal corresponding to a desired local moment to the local closed loop control system for the at least one air flow control zones comprising the at least one activatable flow effector. 13. The missile, or munition in claim 8, comprising at least six flow control zones wherein at least two flow control zones comprise at least one activatable flow effectors activated or deactivated by the separate local, closed loop control system. 14. The missile, or munition in claim 8, wherein the closed loop controller is an adaptive cascade controller. 15. A missile, or a munition comprising a. an aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces;b. at least two air flow control zones on the same aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces; at least one of the air flow control zones comprising at least one activatable flow effector that is activated and deactivated, wherein the at least one activatable flow effector is deactivated when the activatable flow effector is flush or nearly flush to the aerodynamic surface or aerodynamically-coupled surfaces of the missile or munition on or in which the activatable flow effector is located, selected from the group consisting of active vortex generators, which are deployable or create pressure active regions by suction or air pressure; pulsed vortex generators, plasma actuators; wall turbulators; active porosity; and thermal actuators; andc. one or more digital logic devices, the digital logic devices having a separate local, closed loop control system for each flow control zone, and a global control system to coordinate the separate, local control systems. 16. The missile, or munition in claim 15 wherein the activatable flow effector is a deployable flow effector. 17. The missile, or munition in claim 16, wherein the control system monitors the at least one deployable flow effector and/or at least one sensor and adjusts an output to take into account a lower performance or a failure of either the at least one deployable flow effector or the at least one sensor. 18. The missile, or munition in claim 16, comprising at least two digital logic devices wherein the local closed loop control system for the at least one of the air flow control zones comprising the at least one deployable flow effector resides on one of the at least two digital logic devices and the global control system resides on the second of the at least two digital logic devices. 19. The missile, or munition in claim 16, wherein the global control system calculates, estimates or predicts a desired moment for the missile, or munition and outputs a signal corresponding to a desired local moment to the local closed loop control system for the at least one air flow control zones comprising the at least one deployable flow effector. 20. The missile, or munition in claim 16 wherein the separate local, closed loop control system activates and deactivates the at least one deployable flow effector based on at least in part a signal of at least one sensor.