초록
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A plasma actuator includes a first electrode disposed on a substrate, covered by a dielectric layer, and a second electrode disposed on the dielectric layer. In operation, the plasma actuator creates a plasma region, altering air flowing over the actuator. The plasma actuator in various embodiments: has no moving parts, helps to improve fuel economy by reducing aerodynamic drag, improves vehicle stability control under severe unsteady flow environments, reduces wind noise around a vehicle on which the actuator is used, and reduces emission and CO2 foot p...
A plasma actuator includes a first electrode disposed on a substrate, covered by a dielectric layer, and a second electrode disposed on the dielectric layer. In operation, the plasma actuator creates a plasma region, altering air flowing over the actuator. The plasma actuator in various embodiments: has no moving parts, helps to improve fuel economy by reducing aerodynamic drag, improves vehicle stability control under severe unsteady flow environments, reduces wind noise around a vehicle on which the actuator is used, and reduces emission and CO2 foot print through the fuel economy improvement.
대표
청구항
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1. A plasma-actuator system, for controlling aerodynamics of a vehicle, comprising multiple pairs of opposing plasma actuators positioned at lateral positions on an underside of the vehicle, wherein each pair of opposing plasma actuators comprises two electrodes, and the multiple pairs comprise: a first pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned adjacent a left underbody strake of the vehicle, between a left fore wheel and a left aft wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance...
1. A plasma-actuator system, for controlling aerodynamics of a vehicle, comprising multiple pairs of opposing plasma actuators positioned at lateral positions on an underside of the vehicle, wherein each pair of opposing plasma actuators comprises two electrodes, and the multiple pairs comprise: a first pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned adjacent a left underbody strake of the vehicle, between a left fore wheel and a left aft wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the left strake;a second pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned adjacent a right underbody strake of the vehicle, between a right fore wheel and a right aft wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the right strake;a third pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned beneath a vehicle chassis, adjacent the left fore wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the left fore wheel; anda fourth pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned beneath the vehicle chassis, adjacent the right fore wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the right fore wheel. 2. A plasma-actuator system, for controlling aerodynamics of a vehicle, comprising: a first pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned at a left lateral position of the vehicle, beneath a vehicle chassis to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing disturbance of air flow adjacent the left lateral position; anda second pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned at a right lateral position, beneath the vehicle chassis to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing disturbance of air flow adjacent the right lateral position;wherein each of the plasma actuators comprises two electrodes. 3. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, wherein: the first pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a left underbody strake of the vehicle, between a left fore wheel and a left aft wheel to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the left underbody strake; andthe second pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a right underbody strake of the vehicle, between a right fore wheel and a right aft wheel to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the right underbody strake. 4. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, wherein: the first pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a left wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the left wheel; andthe second pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a right wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the right wheel. 5. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, wherein: the first pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a left edge of the vehicle, between a left fore wheel and a left aft wheel to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the left edge between the left fore and left aft wheels; andthe second pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a right edge of the vehicle, between a right fore wheel and a right aft wheel to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the right edge between the right fore and right aft wheels. 6. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, wherein each of: the first pair of opposing plasma actuators is arranged in a first curved shape; andthe second pair of opposing plasma actuators is arranged in a second curved shape. 7. The plasma-actuator system of claim 6, wherein: the first pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a left wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the left wheel;the second pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a right wheel of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the right wheel;the first curved shape has a concave side facing the left wheel and a convex side facing a fore-aft center line of the vehicle; andthe second curved shape has a concave side facing the right wheel and a convex side facing the fore-aft center line of the vehicle. 8. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, wherein: the first pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a left edge of the vehicle between a left fore wheel and a left aft wheel to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the left edge of the vehicle;the second pair of opposing plasma actuators is positioned adjacent a right edge of the vehicle between a right fore wheel and a right aft wheel to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the right edge;the first pair of opposing plasma actuators are arranged in a first shape having a convex side facing the left edge of the vehicle and a concave side facing a fore-aft center line of the vehicle; andthe second pair of opposing plasma actuators are arranged in a second shape having a convex side facing the right edge of the vehicle and a concave side facing the fore-aft center line of the vehicle. 9. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, further comprising a third pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned at a rear position of the vehicle, beneath the vehicle chassis to, in operation of the vehicle, to improve vehicle stability by generating a downward air flow. 10. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, further comprising a third pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned at a front position of the vehicle, beneath the vehicle chassis to, in operation of the vehicle, improve vehicle stability by generating a downward air flow. 11. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, further comprising: a third pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned at a left front fender of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing flow separation adjacent the left front fender; anda fourth pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned at a right front fender of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing flow separation adjacent the right front fender. 12. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, further comprising a top-side plasma actuator positioned adjacent a rear vehicle window to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing flow separation adjacent the rear vehicle window. 13. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, further comprising: a first plasma actuator positioned at a left rear edge of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, improve vehicle stability; anda second plasma actuator positioned at a right rear edge of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, improve vehicle stability. 14. The plasma-actuator system of claim 13, wherein: the first plasma actuator is configured, and arranged at the left rear edge, to generate air flow in a first direction, opposite a main direction of air flowing past the vehicle adjacent the left rear edge to induce flow separation adjacent the left rear edge; andthe second plasma actuator is configured, and arranged at the right rear edge, to generate air flow in a second direction, opposite a main direction of air flowing past the vehicle adjacent the right rear edge to induce flow separation adjacent the right rear edge. 15. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, further comprising: a first plasma actuator positioned at a left-side rear portion of the vehicle, spaced from a left rear edge of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, improve vehicle stability; anda second plasma actuator positioned at a right-side rear portion of the vehicle, spaced from a right rear edge of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, improve vehicle stability. 16. The plasma-actuator system of claim 15, wherein: the first plasma actuator is configured, and arranged at the left-side rear portion, to generate air flow in a first direction, opposite a main direction of air flowing past the vehicle adjacent the first plasma actuator to induce flow separation adjacent the first plasma actuator; andthe second plasma actuator is configured, and arranged at the right-side rear portion, to generate air flow in a second direction, opposite a main direction of air flowing past the vehicle adjacent the second plasma actuator to induce flow separation adjacent the second plasma actuator. 17. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, further comprising at least two additional plasma actuators selected from a group consisting of: a first plasma actuator positioned at a left A-pillar of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce vortex adjacent the left A-pillar;a second plasma actuator positioned at a right A-pillar of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce vortex adjacent the right A-pillar;a third plasma actuator positioned at a left B-pillar of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce vortex adjacent the left B-pillar;a fourth plasma actuator positioned at a right B-pillar of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce vortex adjacent the right B-pillar;a fifth plasma actuator positioned at a left C-pillar of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce vortex adjacent the left C-pillar; anda sixth plasma actuator positioned at a right C-pillar of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce vortex adjacent the right C-pillar. 18. The plasma-actuator system of claim 17, wherein each plasma actuator positioned at one of the pillars extends along most of the pillar. 19. The plasma-actuator system of claim 2, further comprising: a first plasma actuator positioned at a left mirror assembly of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, control separation of a boundary layer of air flow adjacent the left mirror assembly; anda second plasma actuator positioned at a right mirror assembly of the vehicle to, in operation of the vehicle, control separation of a boundary layer of air flow adjacent the right mirror assembly. 20. A plasma-actuator system, for controlling aerodynamics of a vehicle, comprising: a first elongated pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned at a left lateral position of the vehicle, beneath a vehicle chassis to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the left lateral position; anda second elongated pair of opposing plasma actuators positioned at a right lateral position, beneath the vehicle chassis to, in operation of the vehicle, reduce aerodynamic drag on the vehicle by reducing air disturbance adjacent the right lateral position;wherein each of the plasma actuators comprises two electrodes.
