초록
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The invention regards a plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system (1) adapted to an aerodynamic surface (3) which has a nano-engineered composite material layer (5) comprising a set of electrodes arranged (7′, 7″) in at least an upper (P1) and a lower (P2) plane extending parallel with the aerodynamic surface (3); the electrodes (7′, 7″) comprising nano filaments (9); the electrodes (7′) of the upper plane (P1) are arranged in the aerodynamic surface (3) such that they define a smooth and hard aerodynamic surface (3); conductors (11, 11′) of na...
The invention regards a plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system (1) adapted to an aerodynamic surface (3) which has a nano-engineered composite material layer (5) comprising a set of electrodes arranged (7′, 7″) in at least an upper (P1) and a lower (P2) plane extending parallel with the aerodynamic surface (3); the electrodes (7′, 7″) comprising nano filaments (9); the electrodes (7′) of the upper plane (P1) are arranged in the aerodynamic surface (3) such that they define a smooth and hard aerodynamic surface (3); conductors (11, 11′) of nano filaments (9″) arranged for electrical communication between a control unit (13) and each of the electrodes (7′, 7″), wherein the control unit (13) is adapted to address current between cooperating electrodes (7′, 7″) of the upper and lower plane (P1, P2) from a current supply depending upon air flow characteristic signals fed from air flow sensor means (19).
대표
청구항
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1. A plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system (1) adapted to an aerodynamic surface (3), said system (1) comprising: a set of electrodes arranged (7′, 7″) in at least an upper (P1) and a lower (P2) plane extending parallel with the aerodynamic surface (3);conductors (11, 11′) arranged for electrical communication between a control unit (13) and each of the electrodes (7′, 7″); anda nano-engineered composite material layer (5) of the aerodynamic surface comprising said set of electrodes (7, 7″),wherein: the control unit (13) is adapted to addre...
1. A plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system (1) adapted to an aerodynamic surface (3), said system (1) comprising: a set of electrodes arranged (7′, 7″) in at least an upper (P1) and a lower (P2) plane extending parallel with the aerodynamic surface (3);conductors (11, 11′) arranged for electrical communication between a control unit (13) and each of the electrodes (7′, 7″); anda nano-engineered composite material layer (5) of the aerodynamic surface comprising said set of electrodes (7, 7″),wherein: the control unit (13) is adapted to address at least one of a current or a voltage between cooperating electrodes (7′, 7″) of the upper and lower plane (P1, P2) from a current supply;an upper plane electrode (7′) of the cooperating electrodes acts as an emitter ionizing the air and a lower plane electrode (7″) of the cooperating electrodes acts as a receiver to draw the ionized air flow by means of a first electric field, thereby forming an actuator;the electrodes (7′, 7″) comprise at least one of nano-sized filaments or graphene;the conductors (11, 11′) comprise at least one of nano-sized filaments or graphenethe electrodes (7′) of the upper plane (P1) are arranged in the aerodynamic surface (3) such that they define a smooth aerodynamic surface (3);at least one of the nano-sized filaments or graphene of the electrodes and conductors (11,11′) are embedded in the nano-engineered composite material layer (5); andthe control unit (13) is adapted to address at least one of the current or the voltage between the cooperating electrodes (7′, 7″) of the upper and lower plane (P1, P2) from the power supply depending upon air flow characteristic signals fed from air flow sensor means (19). 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein each electrode (7′, 7″) is divided into at least two electrode parts (8′, 8″), each of which is individually associated with the current supply. 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the air flow sensor means (19) comprise at least one of nano-sized filaments or graphene. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes (7′) of the upper plane (P1) are arranged above the electrodes (7″) of the lower plane (P2). 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the nano-engineered composite material layer (5) comprises a dielectric layer of packed nano-sized filaments or graphene arranged to insulate the electrodes from each other. 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein: the aerodynamic surface is an aerodynamic surface of an aircraft; andthe system (1) is adapted to control the action of the aerodynamic surface. 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system (1) is adapted to control a thrust supplement of an aircraft (31). 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (13) is adapted to address at least one of the current or the voltage between cooperating electrodes (7′, 7″) of the upper and lower plane (P1, P2) creating plasma fields urging the air flow so that it essentially corresponds with the flight direction. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the upper plane electrodes are arranged to feed signals from the electrode to the control unit regarding electromagnetic characteristics present when achieving steady state laminar flow, thereby determining which electrodes of the upper plane being present in turbulent and laminar air flow respectively, whereby the functionality of the upper plane electrodes of the upper plane are adapted so they function as air flow sensors as well. 10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the composite material layer is applied in an engine air intake or engine outlet. 11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is arranged to control the manoeuvring of an aircraft. 12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is used for controlling at least one of a laminar or a turbulent air flow over the aerodynamic surfaces of an airfoil including for air brake functions as at least one of a complement to or an elimination of conventional moving air brake control surfaces. 13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the actuators, air flow sensor means and control form a closed loop system for improved efficiency laminar flow, thereby minimizing the power consumption of the system. 14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes comprise two or more layers of nano-sized filaments or graphene placed on top of each other. 15. The system according to claim 5, wherein at least some of the conductors are in electrical communication with an electrical bus or chip, wherein a number of chips are configured in the dielectric material layer to be attached to the same bus, thereby forming an intelligent system where plasma fields can be formed over precise portions or areas of the airfoil. 16. The system according to claim 1, wherein the aerodynamic surface is an outer surface of a non-metallic, metallic, intermetallic or ceramic airfoil, or any combination of such materials. 17. The system according to claim 1, wherein the nano-engineered composite material layer comprising the electrodes and conductors form a separate film, which is designed to be attached to an airfoil surface. 18. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured for de-icing and wherein the system is configured for re-attachment of laminar flow down-stream ice build-up. 19. The system according to claim 1 applied in aircraft engine air intakes, wherein the actuators are controlled based on the flight conditions such as an angle of attack. 20. The system according to claim 1, wherein the composite material layer is applied in an air intake such as an air intake of an environmental control system or a cooling system, thereby improving the efficiency under various operational conditions. 21. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is configured to generate vortex, e.g. by altering the electrical field characteristics such as power level or polarity and/or frequency of the electrical power supply. 22. The system according to claim 1 wherein the control unit is arranged to alter the air flow between laminar and turbulent by switching or changing the electrical polarity of the electrodes. 23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the control unit is arranged to alter the air flow so as to obtain air braking. 24. The system according to claim 1 wherein the nano-engineered composite material layer comprises nano-sized filaments or graphene and/or non-metallic, intermetallic or ceramic matrix materials. 25. System comprising a plurality of plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator systems according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of systems are at least one of controlled or activated individually and simultaneously. 26. The system according to claim 1, wherein the set of electrodes are arranged in at least a third plane and wherein the control unit is arranged to reconfigure configuration of cooperating electrodes forming an actuator so as to comprise an electrode from the at least one third plane. 27. The system according to claim 1, wherein the upper plane electrodes that are partially or fully exposed to the air stream, in addition to their function as actuator electrodes, function as the air flow sensor means. 28. The system according to claim 1 wherein the air flow sensor means a comprises nano-sized filaments or graphene material in which a hole is formed, wherein the air flow sensor means is arranged to measure pressure differences between laminar flow areas and turbulent flow areas. 29. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a plasma-promoting particle releasing device arranged to release plasma-promoting particles in the airstream as an aerosol. 30. The system according to claim 1 wherein the upper and lower electrodes are configured to function as airflow sensors. 31. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a dielectric layer insulating the plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system from an airfoil surface on which it is supported. 32. The system according to claim 1 wherein the configuration and positioning of the electrodes is tailored to minimize the effect of cross-flow obstructing the laminar flow. 33. The system according to claim 1 configured for wind power blades, wherein the positioning of the electrodes is tailored to enable adjustment to changing wind conditions to minimize the effect of cross-flow obstructing the laminar flow. 34. The system according to claim 1 wherein the system is configured to reduce vortex generation due to due to improved and directed laminar flow in airfoil areas where vortices typically are formed. 35. The system according to claim 34, wherein the system is configured to reduce wing tip vortex generation due to reduced airflow leakage between upper and lower wing panels in wing tip areas, thereby enhancing or acting as a winglet on an aircraft wing. 36. The system according to claim 1, wherein the power supply is a voltage supply. 37. The system according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of lower planes and wherein the control unit is adapted to address current/voltage between cooperating electrodes of the upper and a selected one of the lower planes, wherein the lower plane is selected based on the aerodynamic conditions. 38. The system according to claim 1, wherein the actuators are configured to operate in series and wherein the control unit is arranged to send pulses of high voltage actuator signals to consecutive actuators. 39. The system according to claim 1 wherein the surfaces of at least one of the upper plane electrodes is sectioned and wherein the control unit is arranged for selective activation of the respective sectioned electrode surface, whereby the surface area the upper plane electrode can be altered to promote laminar flow. 40. The system according to claim 1 wherein the electrodes or conductors or nano-engineered composite material layer comprises carbon nanotubes, CNTs, such as grown “forests” or mats of aligned CNTs with vertical, tilted or horizontally arranged nanotubes or CNTs arranged in a defined pattern, or graphene or matrix materials such as epoxy or polyimide or bismaleimides or phenolics or cyanate esters or PEEK or PPS or polyester or vinylester. 41. The system according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes, conductors and sensors can be made very small and thin due to the use of nano-sized filaments or graphene with high electrical conductivity and mechanical strength, allowing more actuators, connectors and sensors per surface area and thereby an improved overall system efficiency, compared to systems based on micrometer-sized material additions. 42. A plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system configured to reduce aerodynamic noise due to turbulent flow from non-airfoil surfaces such as aircraft landing gear components, the system comprising: a set of electrodes arranged in at least an upper and a lower plane extending parallel with the surface;conductors arranged for electrical communication between a control unit and each of the electrodes; anda nano-engineered composite material layer of the surface comprising said set of electrodes,wherein: the control unit is adapted to address current/voltage between cooperating electrodes of the upper and lower plane from a power supply,an upper plane electrode of the cooperating electrodes acts as an emitter ionizing the air and a lower plane electrode of the cooperating electrodes acts as a receiver to draw the ionized air flow by means of a first electric field, thereby forming an actuator,the electrodes comprise nano-sized filaments or graphene,the conductors comprise nano-sized filaments or graphene,the electrodes of the upper plane are arranged in the surface such that they define a smooth aerodynamic surface,the nano-sized filaments or graphene of the electrodes and conductors are embedded in the nano-engineered composite material layer andthe control unit is adapted to address current/voltage between the cooperating electrodes of the upper and lower plane from the power supply depending upon air flow characteristic signals fed from air flow sensor means. 43. A plasma-enhanced active laminar flow actuator system adapted to an aerodynamic surface, the system comprising: a set of electrodes arranged in a nano-engineered composite material layer of the aerodynamic surface, andconductors arranged in the a nano-engineered composite material layer for electrical communication between a control unit and each of the electrodes;wherein: the control unit is adapted to address current/voltage between cooperating electrodes from a power supply, wherein a first one of the cooperating electrodes acts as an emitter ionizing the air and a second one of the cooperating electrodes acts as a receiver to draw the ionized air flow by means of a first electric field,the electrodes comprise nano-sized filaments or graphene,the conductors comprise nano-sized filaments or graphene,at least some of the electrodes are arranged in the aerodynamic surface such that they define a smooth aerodynamic surface,the nano-sized filaments or graphene of the electrodes and conductors are embedded in the nano-engineered composite material layer, andthe control unit is adapted to address current/voltage between the cooperating electrodes from the power supply depending upon air flow characteristic signals fed from air flow sensor means.
