Bae Systems, Inc.

Airbus UK Limited

Graham Andrew Johnson

Martyn John Hucker

Clyde Warsop

David William Gough

Simon J Scott

Edward Thornton

Amir Rezai

David Baker

A flow sensor and fastener assembly, is disclosed which includes at least the following modules: a sensor housing and a fastener element; wherein: the sensor housing is adapted to receive a flow-based sensor, e.g. a MEMS airflow sensor; the sensor housing includes a connection for transmitting sensing signals from a fitted flow-based sensor; the fastener element includes a head and a shank, at least part of the shank being externally threaded; the fastener element includes a bore extending through the whole length of the fastener element; and the bore is shaped at the head end of the fastener element to provide a sensor housing receiving part.

Flow sensors

In order to discriminate between laminar flow and turbulent flow states, and to provide an indication, e.g. to a pilot of an aircraft of air flow over an aircraft wing, a sensor mounted on the wing provides an analogue signal of airflow, and an intermittency value of the analogue signal is derived in analogue circuitry including an AC coupling of the signal to an integrator for integrating the signal for a preset time. The integrated value is compared with a threshold value to indicate whether the intermittency represents quiet laminar flow or noisy turbulent flow.

Apparatus and method for determining a fluid flow state

To provide an indication of whether airflow is separated, as opposed to other states of flow, over a surface, two or more adjacent sensors at a location on the surface each produce an analogue signal representative of airflow. The analogue signals are correlated with each other, and the degree of correlation indicates whether the airflow is in a separated state. The correlation may be carried out by comparing processed values of the analogue signals, and thresholding the comparison result.

Fluid flow monitoring

The present invention relates to apparatus for influencing fluid flow over a surface, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to turbulent boundary layer flow drag reduction for an aircraft. The present invention provides such apparatus including a plasma generator comprising a first electrode and a signal generator, the apparatus being operable to drive the first electrode with a pulsed signal generated by the signal generator thereby to cause a change in direction of the flow of the fluid over the surface.

Turbulent flow drag reduction

The present invention relates to apparatus for influencing fluid flow over a surface, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to turbulent boundary layer flow drag reduction for an aircraft. The present invention provides such apparatus including a plasma generator comprising first and second spaced-apart independently controllable electrodes operable to cause a change in direction of the flow of the fluid over the surface.

Growing community of inventors

Bristol, United Kingdom

Graham Andrew Johnson