Sundstrand Corporation

William B Kroll

Patrick D Curran

An aircraft (10) including a stowable, wingtip mounted, vortex turbine (30) for dissipating or extracting energy from a lift induced vortex (28) emanating from the aircraft (10) is provided. The vortex turbine (30) includes a first and a second array (38, (40) of blades (32a,b) (34a,b) extending respectively from a first and a second hub section (32), (34). Hub sections (32), (34) may be independently pivoted about a common axis of rotation (36) to a stowed position for landing, take-off, or ground operation, whereat none of the blades (32a,b) (34a,b) extend below a minimum ground clearance of the aircraft, or beyond a maximum horizontal extension of the wing (16). In flight, the hub sections (32), (34) may be deployed and the pitch of the blades adjusted to maximize dissipation of the lift induced vortex (28), thereby minimizing drag and providing improved safety for other aircraft flying through the wake of the aircraft (10) producing the vortex (28). The hub sections (32, 34) may also be locked together to form a turbine wheel (46) having a circumferentially symmetrical array of blades. The turbine wheel (46) is rotatable about the axis of rotation (36) for extracting usable energy from the lift induced vortex (28) and/or free stream air passing through the turbine wheel (46).

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Roscoe, IL, United States of America

William B Kroll