The Boeing Company

Mcdonnell Douglas Helicopter Company

Ahmed A Hassan

David B Domzalski

Friedrich K Straub

Ram Damaraju JanakiRam

Dennis K Kennedy

Brian Koorosh Hamilton

Bruce Dean Charles

Hormoz Tadghighi

Ram D Janakiram

Terrence S Birchette

Clete Mark Boldrin

Lakshmi N Sankar

Robert R Murrill

Garry Billman

Gregory E Dockter

Hieu Thien Ngo

Stephen Lewis Guymon

Bradley Alan Osborne

Casey Lyn Madsen

Dino A Cerchie

Scott Lee Schwimley

Garrett M Billman

Mary Billman, Legal Representative

An air vehicle includes an airfoil designed for transonic flight. The airfoil has a region of supersonic flow during transonic flight. A surface of the airfoil has upstream and downstream orifices at or within the region. The air vehicle further includes an active flow control system for controlling air vehicle motion during transonic flight by controlling flow through the orifices to alter strength and location of a shock wave in the region. The system creates an aerodynamic imbalance to move the shock wave.

Active flow control for transonic flight

Methods and apparatus for controlling the attitude of a mobile platform with a resolution suitable for vernier attitude control. In one embodiment a method includes flowing fluid through an orifice of an aerodynamic surface. The method also includes modifying a boundary layer of the aerodynamic surface with the flowing fluid. Another embodiment provides an aerodynamic member of a mobile platform. The aerodynamic member includes an aerodynamic surface, an orifice, an actuator, and a fluid moving member. The orifice is in the aerodynamic surface and the actuator is subject to friction and backlash. The fluid moving member communicates with the orifice and causes the fluid to flow through the orifice to modify the boundary layer of aerodynamic surface.

Vernier active flow control effector

An airfoil member and an airfoil member altering system are provided for significantly modifying the shape and size of the airfoil member while simultaneously providing an airfoil member with increased adaptability to various flight conditions throughout a flight envelope. The airfoil member comprises at least one motor or actuator, a system controller, a plurality of vehicle performance sensors, at least one temperature controller and airfoil member comprising at least one geometric morphing device that is adjustable in both size and shape and one or more rigid members.

Composite material for geometric morphing wing

A system for reducing overall drag of a mobile platform includes a surface on which an airflow forms a boundary layer and a generally normal shockwave. The airflow is at a first velocity that is one of transonic and supersonic. An oscillating jet injects and extracts a jet flow through the surface. The jet flow is at a second velocity that is substantially less than the first velocity. A recirculation region is upstream of the normal shockwave and is disposed at least partially in the boundary layer. The recirculation region is established at least by the oscillating jet. A generally oblique wave is established by the recirculation region and weakens the normal shockwave to reduce the overall drag experienced by the surface.

Dynamic bumps for drag reduction at transonic-supersonic speeds

Methods and apparatus for controlling the attitude of a mobile platform with a resolution suitable for vernier attitude control. In a preferred embodiment, a method includes flowing fluid through an orifice of an aerodynamic surface. The method also includes modifying a boundary layer of the aerodynamic surface with the flowing fluid. Another preferred embodiment provides an aerodynamic member of a mobile platform. The aerodynamic member includes an aerodynamic surface, an orifice, an actuator, and a fluid moving member. The orifice is in the aerodynamic surface and the actuator is subject to friction and backlash. The fluid moving member communicates with the orifice and causes the fluid to flow through the orifice to modify the boundary layer of aerodynamic surface.

An airfoil member () includes a geometric morphing device (). The geometric morphing device () has an inflatable member (). The inflatable member () has an exterior wall () and multiple inflated states. The exterior wall () includes a layer with one or more fibers embedded therein. The exterior wall () controls size, shape, and expansion ability of the geometric morphing device ().

Fiber matrix for a geometric morphing wing

A method of controlling movement of a vehicle including generating a fluid jet adjacent an aerodynamic surface of the vehicle, and changing at least one of a strength and a position of a shock wave traveling over the aerodynamic surface of the vehicle by directing the jet into a boundary layer flow of air attached to the aerodynamic surface.

Method and apparatus for controlling a vehicle

An active flow control device and method for improving the aerodynamic efficiency of airfoils. The device and method pertain to the application of hybrid intermittent suction or intake of low-energy boundary layer fluid into an airfoil through one or more inlet openings while also applying intermittent blowing or expulsion of fluid out of such an airfoil into the boundary layer through one or more outlet openings for the purpose of delaying or eliminating boundary layer separation.

Method and device for altering the separation characteristics of flow over an aerodynamic surface via hybrid intermittent blowing and suction

Active flow control devices and methods are disclosed for improving the aerodynamic efficiency of airfoils. The devices and methods pertain to applying intermittent suction or intake of low-energy boundary layer fluid into airfoils in a manner delaying or eliminating boundary layer separation.

Method and device for altering the separation characteristics of air-flow over an aerodynamic surface via intermittent suction

A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing propulsion underwater with minimal acoustical emission. In basic concept, the method comprises the expulsion and sucking of liquid into and out of a liquid port of a watercraft in a manner generating compression and expansion waves adjacent the liquid port. Such expansion and compression waves generate a positive net thrust on the watercraft in a direction opposite that of their expulsion. Also disclosed is a method and apparatus for reducing the drag caused by hull skin friction by actively increasing the momentum of the liquid stream boundary layer adjacent a watercraft via the expulsion of fluid (liquid or gas) from ports in the hull of such a watercraft.

Method and device for low-noise underwater propulsion and for reducing hull drag

A method and apparatus is disclosed for producing propulsion underwater with minimal acoustical emission. In basic concept, the method comprises the expulsion and sucking of liquid into and out of a liquid port of a watercraft in a manner generating compression and expansion waves adjacent the liquid port. Such expansion and compression waves generate a positive net thrust on the watercraft in a direction opposite that of their expulsion. A reciprocating member and an actuator are also disclosed for generating the forces and energy necessary to create the expansion and compression waves.

Method and device for low-noise underwater propulsion

An active control device is disclosed comprising an array of actively controlled oscillating air jets disposed on an aircraft structure. In a preferred embodiment, the device senses parameters associated with incipient unsteady aerodynamic excitation, such as free stream gusts, shed wakes in rotor and turbomachinery flows, or oscillatory motion of trailing edge control surfaces such as ailerons. These parameters are provided as input signals to a processor. Based on the input signals, the processor generates output signals that are used to operate the air jet array in a manner counteractive to the unsteady forcing. The air jet array can be used on numerous aircraft structures, including rotor blades, wings, engine inlets, engine exhausts, blunt surfaces and nozzles.

Gust alleviation/flutter suppression device

A linear electromagnetic zero net mass jet (ZNMJ) actuator incorporating a pair of permanent magnets. The magnets are arranged such that an air gap is formed therebetween and further such that opposite poles of the magnets are arranged on opposite sides of the air gap. This concentrates the flux field across the air gap. A coil is disposed in the air gap. The coil is attached to a diaphragm which acts as a piston. When an electric current is applied to the coil, the flux field across the air gap causes a rapidly oscillating motion of the diaphragm. The actuator provides an increased rate of displacement of the piston as compared to single magnet ZNMJ actuators, and thus provides a higher momentum output across a broad frequency and voltage spectrum than conventional ZNMJ actuators using a single magnet.

Linear electromagnetic zero net mass jet actuator

A porous surface on an aircraft structure driven with oscillating positive and negative pressures is used as an active control device for attenuating negative aerodynamic interactions. The porous surfaces can be driven with positive and negative pressures either continuously or when predetermined flight conditions are present. The porous surfaces can be used on rotor blades to reduce BVI noise in descent flight conditions. The porous surfaces can be configured on rotor blades for affecting blade variable twist in accordance with various flight conditions, and can further be incorporated for reducing rotor hub vibrations as well. Porous surfaces placed on aerodynamic surfaces below the rotor blades of a tiltrotor aircraft can attenuate or eliminate download and fountain flow conditions. When placed on the trailing edges of a tip jet-exhaust driven rotor blade, the porous surfaces of the present invention can supplement the tip jet momentum of the exhaust to thereby reduce an amount of exhaust needed to drive the rotor blade.

Oscillating air jets for implementing blade variable twist, enhancing engine and blade efficiency, and reducing drag, vibration, download and ir signature

Growing community of inventors

Mesa, AZ, United States of America

Ahmed A Hassan