Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Lockheed Corporation

Robert J Englar

Andrew S Thomas

John A Bennett

Dennis M Bushnell

Kenneth P Burdges

An aircraft comprising a Channel Wing having blown channel circulation control wings (CCW) for various functions. The blown channel CCW includes a channel that has a rounded or near-round trailing edge. The channel further has a trailing-edge slot that is adjacent to the rounded trailing edge of the channel. The trailing-edge slot has an inlet connected to a source of pressurized air and is capable of tangentially discharging pressurized air over the rounded trailing edge. The aircraft further has a propeller that is located in the channel and ahead of the rounded trailing edge of the channel. The propeller provides a propeller thrust exhaust stream across the channel wing to propel the aircraft through the air and to provide high lift. The pressurized air being discharged over the rounded trailing edge provides a high lift that is obtained independent of an aircraft angle of attack, thus preventing the asymmetry, separated flow, and stall experienced by the CC wing at the high angle of attack it required for high lift generation. The aircraft can further include blown outboard circulation control wings (CCW) that are synergistically connected to the blown channel CCWs. The blown outboard CCWs provide additional high lift, control thrust/drag interchange, and can provide all three aerodynamic moments when differential blowing is applied front-to-rear or left-to-right. Both the blown channel CCW and the outboard CCW also have leading-edge blowing slots to prevent flow separation or to provide aerodynamic moments for control.

Channel-wing system for thrust deflection and force/moment generation

A high density heat exchanging system is provided for a vehicle. The system essentially comprises an aerodynamic member, a porous device (including a radiator core), and a force augmentation device. The aerodynamic member is arranged and configured on the vehicle to produce forces and loads on the vehicle generally desirable for improving traction and handling. The porous device with radiator core, including an inlet and an outlet, is embedded in the aerodynamic member. The inlet of the porous device and radiator core is disposed on a high pressure surface of the aerodynamic member and the outlet is disposed on a low pressure surface of the aerodynamic member, thereby allowing fluid to flow through the porous device and the radiator core. The force augmentation device is disposed on the aerodynamic member. A fluid flow passes from the high pressure surface of the aerodynamic member to the low pressure surface of the aerodynamic member through the porous device, passing the radiator core, thereby providing heat exchange.

Vehicle heat exchanger system and method for a vehicle that augments and modifies aerodynamic forces

A blowing system for controlling the aerodynamics of a ground vehicle comprises a source of compressed air, a valve for regulating the flow of the compressed air, and a plenum for discharging the air at a rear portion of the vehicle. The air discharged through the plenum prevents flow separation and consequently reduces the drag on the vehicle. It may also increase lift, reducing effective weight and thus rolling resistance of the tires, or decrease lift to improve tire traction and handling. The blowing system may have separate plenums for the left and right sides of the vehicle whereby vortex roll-up and flow separation which occur on only one side of the vehicle may be eliminated. Asymmetrical blowing of only one plenum will produce rolling and yawing moments to restore the vehicle's lateral/directional stability when exposed to a side wind. Further, the blowing system may have a lower plenum for reattaching flow, generating a negative lift or download to increase traction, braking, and handling and for generating pitch trim. The blowing system may have a number of sensors for detecting various conditions, such as the direction and pressure of a relative wind, turbulence at the rear of the vehicle, braking, or angle of steering. The blowing system may be responsive to one or more of these conditions to selectively adjust the aerodynamics of the vehicle.

Pneumatic aerodynamic control and drag-reduction system for ground

A preferred embodiment of the present invention, a blowing system for high performance vehicles, comprises a source of compressed air and a mechanism for regulating and controlling the flow of air from the source. Referring to FIG. 2, the compressed air is routed from its source through the regulating mechanism and to an aerodynamic surface (17) attached to the automobile in any appropriate manner. Although not required, the present system could be augmented by placing a plenum (21) inside the aerodynamic surface (17) for collecting the compressed air. This aerodynamic surface (17) preferably has a rounded trailing edge (19) or edges. The compressed air will be discharged from the aerodynamic surface (17) through a slot (22) in an outer surface of the aerodynamic surface (17). Preferably, the slot (22) would be on an under-side of a rear portion of the aerodynamic surface (17). However, the presence of a second slot on an upper-side of a rear portion of the aerodynamic surface (17) may also be desirable. The tangentially ejected air will then attach to the aerodynamic surface and sweep around the rounded trailing edge (19). Flow across the aerodynamic surface will be entrained, and a greater lift force will be generated, which may be directed either upward (lift) or as a download. Control of drag and aerodynamic moments will also result. In another aspect of the present invention, as in FIG. 6, the effect of the blown aerodynamic surface (62) could be enhanced through a blowing system for vertical end plates (52) at both ends of the aerodynamic surface (62). Compressed air is discharged through slots (54) in the end plates (52). The air will entrain the flow coming from the trailing edge of the aerodynamic surface (62) and enhance the down force. In a further improvement to the present invention, the compressed air discharge slots (67) may be arranged along the rear lower surface of the vehicle's body, which is curved upward to convert the lower body to an aerodynamic surface for download and control moment generation.

Pneumatic aerodynamic force-augmentation, control and drag-reduction

A pneumatic aerodynamic control surface is described for an aircraft having a region of upwash ahead of a powered-lift or high-lift wing, the control surface comprising blown engine nacelles immersed in the upwash region, and capable of generating moments about all three axes of the aircraft without any external moving parts.

Pneumatic aerodynamic control surface

A fluid flow control device controllably maintains attached flow in the region of a body having a contour of rapid curvature utilizing tangential fluid discharge slots, positioned just upstream from the separation line, which issue a thin jet sheet to energize the boundary layer and entrain the surrounding flow. When applied to the aft fuselage of an aircraft, the device reduces separation and vortex drag at cruise and provides control forces and moments during low speed operation of the aircraft.

Growing community of inventors

Marietta, GA, United States of America

Robert J Englar