초록 ▼

The present invention relates to a method of designing or optimizing a control surface for use with plasma actuators for controlling an aircraft, missile, munition or automobile, and more particularly to controlling fluid flow across their surfaces or other surfaces using plasma actuators, which wou

The present invention relates to a method of designing or optimizing a control surface for use with plasma actuators for controlling an aircraft, missile, munition or automobile, and more particularly to controlling fluid flow across their surfaces or other surfaces using plasma actuators, which would benefit from such a method. The various embodiments provide the steps to increase the efficiency of aircraft, missiles, munitions and automobiles. The method of flow control also provides a means for reducing aircraft, missile's, munition's and automobile's power requirements. These methods also provide alternate means for aerodynamic control using low-power hingeless plasma actuator devices.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile comprising at least one surface over which air flow occurs, the at least one surface having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the at least one surface comprising a modified contour, the modified contour being designed to create a surface

1. An aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile comprising at least one surface over which air flow occurs, the at least one surface having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the at least one surface comprising a modified contour, the modified contour being designed to create a surface flow disturbance along the surface beyond a specific location on the surface, andat least one plasma actuator being positioned on the surface to affect the created surface flow disturbance along the surface when actuated,wherein the at least one plasma actuator when actuated modifies the air flow over the at least one surface. 2. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 1, wherein the surface is a control surface. 3. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 2, wherein the modified contour is a ramp. 4. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 3, wherein the plasma actuator in combination with the ramp modifies at least one aerodynamic condition of the surface. 5. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 1, wherein the plasma actuator operates in an unsteady state. 6. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 5, wherein the plasma actuator is activated at a frequency equal to between about 0.6 to about 4 times the velocity of the fluid flowing over the surface divided by a characteristic placement distance measured from the actuator to the trailing edge, or the extent of flow separation. 7. An aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile comprising at least one surface over which air flow occurs, the at least one surface having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the at least one surface comprising a modified contour, the modified contour comprising a ramp designed to induce boundary layer separation in flow over the surface beyond a specific location on the surface, andat least one plasma actuator positioned on the surface to affect the created surface flow disturbance along the surface when actuated,wherein the at least one plasma actuator when actuated modifies the air flow over the at least one surface. 8. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 7, wherein the surface is a control surface. 9. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 8, wherein the ramp is a Stratford ramp that induces continuous boundary layer separation and a flow detachment point at a specific location on the control surface. 10. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 9, wherein the plasma actuator in combination with the ramp modifies at least one aerodynamic condition of the surface. 11. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 10, wherein the dimensions of the ramp are optimized to maximally increase the plasma actuator's improvement of performance in any two of reducing drag of the surface, increasing lift of the surface, and reducing power requirements of the aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile under at least one operating condition. 12. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 7, wherein the plasma actuator operates in an unsteady state. 13. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 12, wherein the plasma actuator is activated at a frequency equal to between about 0.6 to about 4 times the velocity of the fluid flowing over the surface divided by a characteristic placement distance measured from the actuator to the trailing edge, or the extent of flow separation. 14. An aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile comprising at least one surface over which air flow occurs, the at least one surface having a leading edge and a trailing edge, the at least one surface comprising a modified contour, the modified contour comprising a Stratford ramp designed to induce continuous boundary layer separation in flow over the surface and a flow detachment point at a specific location on the control surface,at least one actuator positioned on the surface to affect the created surface flow disturbance along the surface when actuated, andat least one sensor positioned on the surface to measure the flow over the surface near the at least one actuator or to detect or predict flow separation or conditions of the air flow near the at least one actuatorwherein the at least one actuator when actuated modifies the air flow over the at least one surface. 15. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 14, wherein the surface is a control surface. 16. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 14, wherein the sensor is a MEMS air pressure sensor. 17. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 14, wherein the actuator in combination with the Stratford ramp modifies at least one aerodynamic condition of the surface, and wherein the dimensions of the Stratford ramp are optimized to maximally increase the actuator's improvement of performance in any two of reducing drag of the surface, increasing lift of the surface, and reducing power requirements of the aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile under at least one operating condition. 18. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 14, wherein an adaptive predictive closed-loop control system controls the actuation of the at least one actuator based at least in part on a signal from the at least one sensor. 19. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 14, wherein the actuator operates in an unsteady state. 20. The aircraft, missile, projectile, munition, or automobile in claim 19, wherein the actuator is activated at a frequency equal to between about 0.6 to about 4 times the velocity of the fluid flowing over the surface divided by a characteristic placement distance measured from the actuator to the trailing edge, or the extent of flow separation.