Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Actasys, Inc.

David Menicovich

Michael Amitay

Anthony Mickalauskas

Daniele Gallardo

Anna H Dyson

Jason Vollen

Peter Stark

Ajith Rao

Edward DeMauro

Systems and methods for cleaning transmission surfaces for optical and sensor surfaces in order to maintain optimal performance under a variety of weather and environmental conditions using synthetic jet actuators. The actuators can emit a jet of water or air depending on environmental conditions and the waveform, frequency, amplitude of the actuator can be adjusted based on particle characteristics and transmission signal quality in order to better clean the surfaces.

Preventing radio and light signal transmission loss through a transmission surface due to weather environmental and operational conditions using active flow control actuators

A synthetic jet actuator includes a cavity layer having an internal cavity for reception of a fluid volume and an orifice providing a fluid communication between the cavity and an external atmosphere; an oscillatory membrane having a piezoelectric material adapted to deflect the oscillatory membrane in response to an electrical signal; and a controller configured to control delivery of electrical signals to the piezoelectric material for controlling operation of the oscillatory membrane based on input data received from one or more sources that informs on a temperature and/or performance level of a targeted objected for cooling. The actuator may further include a thermal element for affecting modified temperature control; and the actuator may be integrated into a surface of a thermally diffusive structure for dissipating heat from a thermal load.

Temperature control using active flow control actuators

Provided in one embodiment is a method of modifying an air flow at least one location of a building structure, comprising: generating a first air flow at the at least one location of the building structure; and modifying a second air flow exterior to the building structure using the generated first air flow. An apparatus configured to modified an air flow is also provided.

Methods and systems of modifying air flow at building structures

Systems and methods for airflow control of a moving ground vehicle are provided. The system includes an actuator module and a sensor unit mounted on the vehicle, and a controller. The actuator module includes at least one synthetic jet actuator to generate a synthetic jet, to modify an airflow around the vehicle. The sensor unit includes at least one environment sensor to capture environmental sensor data proximate the vehicle. The controller receives the environmental sensor data from the sensor unit and determines at least one of a drive frequency and a drive amplitude for controlling the at least one synthetic jet actuator, based on the received environmental data.

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Hoboken, NJ, United States of America

David Menicovich