The Boeing Company

Bradley Alan Osborne

Joseph Steven Silkey

Scott Lee Schwimley

Ahmed A Hassan

Richard S Dyer

Christopher Daniel Wilson

Garry Billman

David James Suiter

Mary Billman, Legal Representative

A method and apparatus may comprise a first number of layers of a flexible material, a second number of layers of a dielectric material, a first electrode attached to a surface layer in the first number of layers, and a second electrode attached to a second layer in one of the first number of layers and the second number of layers. The first number of layers may be interspersed with the second number of layers. The first electrode may be configured to be exposed to air. The first electrode and the second electrode may be configured to form a plasma in response to a voltage.

Laminated plasma actuator

A dielectric element barrier discharge pump for accelerating a fluid flow. In one embodiment the pump has a first dielectric layer having a first electrode embedded therein and a second dielectric layer having a second electrode embedded therein. The first and second dielectric layers are further supported apart from one another to form an air gap therebetween. A third electrode is disposed at least partially in the air gap upstream of the first and second electrodes, relative to a direction of flow of the fluid flow. A high voltage supplies a high voltage signal to the third electrode. The electrodes cooperate to generate opposing asymmetric plasma fields in the gap that create an induced air flow within the gap. The induced air flow operates to accelerate the fluid flow as the fluid flow moves through the gap.

Dielectric barrier discharge pump apparatus and method

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

A fan control effector for an aircraft comprises at least one blade configured to be pivotably deployable in a radially outward direction from a retracted position to a deployed position such that the blade extends out of the aircraft. The fan control effector may be mounted in a symmetrical arrangement about a longitudinal axis on opposing wings of the aircraft. Furthermore, the fan control effector may comprise any number of blades for independent deployment outwardly from the wing. The blades are configured to be angularly deployable along a direction that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The blades may be configured to be deployable sequentially from the wing starting with an initial deployment of an aft-most one of the blades.

Aerodynamic fan control effector

A flow control system and method especially well adapted for use on a Coanda surface. In one embodiment a plurality of plasma actuators are disposed over a Coanda surface of a wing of an aircraft. The actuators are selectively energized to either delay the onset of boundary layer flow separation from the Coanda surface, or to promote flow separation. One embodiment discloses using dual mode plasma actuators on a Coanda surface. The system and method is applicable to a wide variety of aerodynamic surfaces where control over the separation of a boundary layer flow over a trailing edge surface is desired.

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Manchester, MO, United States of America

Bradley Alan Osborne