초록 ▼

A fluid dynamic body provides one or more fixed size escapelets through a foil body to reduce the induced and interference drag caused by trailing vortices and similar wake turbulence. The escapelets, which can be provided in both aerodynamic and hydrodynamic structures, such as wings, tail sections

A fluid dynamic body provides one or more fixed size escapelets through a foil body to reduce the induced and interference drag caused by trailing vortices and similar wake turbulence. The escapelets, which can be provided in both aerodynamic and hydrodynamic structures, such as wings, tail sections; rotary blades, guy wire frames, wing sails, and various underwater keels and wing keels. The escapelets transfer energy from an inlet located in the high-pressure surface of the foil or foil body to an outlet located in the lower-pressure surface, allowing energy that would normally form a vortex at the tip of the foil to be redirected and dissipated in a beneficial way. As a result, drag is reduced and fuel economy is increased. For example, in aircraft, escapelets can increase the authority of ailerons and similar flight control surfaces, allowing aircraft that were not previously spin recovery rated to become spin recoverable.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fluid dynamic body configured to move through a fluid; wherein the fluid is a liquid or a gas, said fluid dynamic body comprising: a foil-shaped body having a thickness, a chord direction and a span dimension, said foil-shaped body having at least one passage therethrough, said at least one pas

1. A fluid dynamic body configured to move through a fluid; wherein the fluid is a liquid or a gas, said fluid dynamic body comprising: a foil-shaped body having a thickness, a chord direction and a span dimension, said foil-shaped body having at least one passage therethrough, said at least one passage being formed as an escapelet leading from an inlet in a first higher pressure surface of said foil-shaped body to an outlet in a second lower pressure surface of said foil-shaped body, an inner surface of said escapelet being specifically contoured so as to provide primarily streamlined laminar flow through the at least one passage, said escapelet having a thickness, a chord direction and a span dimension defined by contoured endwalls at each spanwise end thereof, said endwalls effective for directing momentum of a mass fluid flow exiting from said escapelet,said outlet being located downstream of said inlet with a center-of-inlet to center-of-outlet mean line oriented at an angle ranging anywhere from 10° to 80° with respect to a chord line of said foil-shaped body, said outlet being directed streamwise,said inlet with an inlet measure of at least 0.85% of a local chord length of said foil-shaped body and said outlet with an outlet measure of at least 0.75% of said local chord length, said outlet having a size in a range from 10% to 110% of a size of said inlet,said outlet of the escapelet being contoured and positioned such that the mass fluid flow exiting in a streamwise direction from the escapelet redirects spanwise fluid flow over the foil-shaped body toward a less spanwise and more streamwise direction, thereby energizing stagnant flow in various areas and reducing induced and interference drag and also thereby reducing vortex generation, so as to improve control, and reduce energy and fuel consumption by maintaining improved flow over the surfaces of the foil-shaped body thus preempting undesirable flows that create higher drag and loss of control. 2. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, further comprising support ribs, wherein said escapelet is located between or around said support ribs. 3. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said escapelet includes at least one fairing to further reduce any sharp edges, corners, or discontinuities in order to reduce turbulence and drag. 4. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said foil-shaped body comprises a wing. 5. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said foil-shaped body comprises an empennage. 6. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said foil-shaped body comprises a fluid dynamic control surface. 7. The fluid dynamic body of claim 6, wherein said fluid dynamic control surface comprises ailerons, flaps, canards, stabilizers, elevators, fins, and rudders. 8. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said foil-shaped body comprises any one of a blade of a rotor, helicopter, propeller, wind turbine, turbofan, ducted fan, or wind tunnel drive fan. 9. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said fluid dynamic body comprises a watercraft sail or a wing sail. 10. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said fluid dynamic body comprises any one or more of hydrofoil, watercraft keel, wing keel, movable keel, dagger board, and rudder. 11. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said fluid dynamic body comprises any one of a parachute, hang glider, ultra-light aircraft, work kite, recreational or emergency device, toy or toy kite. 12. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said escapelet encloses or is an element of a structure such as cables, guy wires, poles, power lines, towers and stacks. 13. The fluid dynamic body of claim 1, wherein said escapelet includes at least one fillet to further reduce any sharp edges, corners, or discontinuities in order to reduce turbulence and drag. 14. A fluid dynamic body configured to move fluid or move through a fluid, wherein the fluid is a liquid or a gas, said fluid dynamic body comprising: a structure having a height, length and width, said structure having at least one passage therethrough, said at least one passage being formed as an escapelet leading from an inlet in a first higher pressure surface of said structure to an outlet in a second lower pressure surface of said structure, an inner surface of said escapelet being specifically contoured so as to provide primarily streamlined laminar flow through the at least one passage, said escapelet having a height, length and a width limited by contoured endwalls at each end of said escapelet effective for directing the momentum of a mass fluid flow exiting from said escapelet, said escapelet being contoured and positioned to conform to the shape of said structure,said outlet being located downstream of said inlet with a center-of-inlet to center-of-outlet mean line oriented at an angle ranging anywhere from 10° to 80° with respect to a body length, said outlet being directed streamwise,said escapelet having an inlet measure of at least 0.85% of a local length of said structure and an outlet measure of at least 0.75% of said local structure length, said outlet having a size in a range from 10% to 110% of a size of said inlet,said outlet of the escapelet being contoured and positioned such that the mass fluid flow exiting in a streamwise direction from the escapelet redirects widthwise fluid flow over the structure toward a more streamwise direction, thereby energizing stagnant flow and reducing interference drag, redirecting fluid flow efficiently along surfaces of said structure, so as to reduce turbulence and undesirable flows, improving flow control, and reduce energy consumption by maintaining improved flow over the surfaces of said structure thus preempting undesirable flows that create higher drag and loss of control. 15. The fluid dynamic body of claim 14, wherein said escapelet is a constituent of a cowl of an engine. 16. The fluid dynamic body of claim 14, wherein said escapelet is a constituent of a device for reducing cooling or ventilating drag. 17. The fluid dynamic body of claim 14, further comprising support structures, wherein said escapelet is located between or around said support structures. 18. The fluid dynamic body of claim 14, wherein said escapelet includes at least one fairing to further reduce any sharp edges, corners, or discontinuities in order to reduce turbulence and drag. 19. The fluid dynamic body of claim 14, wherein said structure comprises a fluid dynamic control surface. 20. The fluid dynamic body of claim 14, wherein said escapelet includes at least one fillet to further reduce any sharp edges, corners, or discontinuities in order to reduce turbulence and drag.