Aerodynamic surface assembly defining a fluidic actuation orifice

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10507906-B2
Application number	US-201514697930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2015
Priority date	Apr 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 17, 2019
Grant date	Dec 17, 2019

Abstract

An aerodynamic surface assembly is provided to facilitate control of the flow over the aerodynamic surface. The aerodynamic surface assembly includes an aerodynamic surface defining an outer mold line over which a fluid is to flow in a downstream direction. The outer mold line defines a smooth contour that is interrupted by step down region that is inset relative to the smooth contour defined by the outer mold line upstream thereof. The aerodynamic surface defines an orifice opening in to the step down region. The aerodynamic surface assembly may also include an overhang extending from the outer mold line of the aerodynamic surface upstream at the orifice. The overhang extends in the downstream direction and at least partially over the orifice. The aerodynamic surface assembly may also include a fluidic actuator defining a pair of curved passageways extending from an input region and are in fluid communication with the orifice.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. An aerodynamic surface assembly comprising:
an aerodynamic surface defining an outer mold line over which a fluid is to flow in a downstream direction, wherein the outer mold line defines a smooth contour interrupted by first and second step down regions that are inset relative to the smooth contour defined by the outer mold line upstream thereof, wherein the aerodynamic surface defines first and second arrays of orifices opening into the first and second step down regions, respectively, wherein the second linear array is downstream of the first linear array, and wherein the orifices of the second linear array are laterally offset relative to the orifices of the first linear array; and
first and second overhangs extending from the outer mold line of the aerodynamic surface upstream of the first and second arrays of orifices, respectively, wherein the first and second overhangs extend in the downstream direction at least partially over the first and second arrays of orifices, respectively, and at least over at least a portion of the first and second step down regions, respectively,
wherein an inwardly facing surface of the second overhang that faces the respective step down region defines a smaller angle with respect to the outer mold line upstream of the respective array of orifices than an angle defined between the respective step down region and the outer mold line upstream of the respective array of orifices.

2. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 1 wherein each orifice extends in a direction having a directional component in the downstream direction.

3. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 1 wherein each orifice defines a throat having a curved shape that defines a flow direction that increasingly extends in the downstream direction as the throat transitions from within the aerodynamic surface toward an exit of the orifice.

4. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 3 wherein each overhang defines a portion of the throat of the orifices of the respective array including the curved shape of the orifices.

5. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 1 wherein each step down region smoothly transitions to the smooth contour of the outer mold line downstream of the respective array of orifices.

6. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 1 wherein each overhang extends over the respective array of orifices such that the orifices are not visible when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the outer mold line at the respective step down region.

7. An aerodynamic surface assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a fluidic actuator defining a pair of curved passageways that extend from an input region to an interaction cavity in fluid communication with the orifices.

8. An aerodynamic surface assembly according to claim 7 wherein the curved passageways of the fluidic actuator have a horseshoe geometry.

9. An aerodynamic surface assembly according to claim 7 further comprising a plenum defined so as to extend through the aerodynamic surface, wherein the input region of the fluidic actuator is in fluid communication with the plenum so as to receive fluid from the plenum that is then directed through the orifices.

10. An aerodynamic surface assembly comprising:
an aerodynamic surface defining an outer mold line over which a fluid is to flow in a downstream direction, wherein the outer mold line defines a smooth contour interrupted by first and second step down regions that are inset relative to the smooth contour defined by the outer mold line upstream thereof, wherein the aerodynamic surface defines first and second arrays of orifices opening into the first and second step down regions, respectively, wherein the second linear array is downstream of the first linear array, and wherein the orifices of the second linear array are laterally offset relative to the orifices of the first linear array; and
a fluidic actuator defining an interaction cavity upstream of the first array of orifices and a pair of curved passageways that extend from an input region and are in fluid communication with the first array of orifices so as to permit fluid to pass through the curved passageways and to exit through the first array of orifices,
wherein an orifice of the first array of orifices diverges from a first end adjacent the interaction cavity to a second end proximate the outer mold line such that the second end of the orifice is wider than the first end of the orifice, and
wherein the pair of curved passageways are configured to provide fluid to the interaction cavity such that fluid that enters the interaction cavity has passed through at least one of the curved passageways.

11. An aerodynamic surface assembly according to claim 10 wherein the curved passageways of the fluidic actuator have a horseshoe geometry.

12. An aerodynamic surface assembly according to claim 10 further comprising a plenum defined so as to extend through the aerodynamic surface, and wherein the input region of the fluidic actuator is in fluid communication with the plenum so as to receive fluid from the plenum that is then directed through the curved passages and the interaction cavity to the orifice.

13. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 10 wherein the orifice extends in a direction having a directional component in the downstream direction.

14. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 10 wherein the orifice defines a throat having a curved shape that defines a flow direction that increasingly extends in the downstream direction as the throat transitions from within the aerodynamic surface toward an exit of the orifice.

15. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 14 further comprising an overhang extending from the outer mold line of the aerodynamic surface upstream of the orifice, wherein the overhang extends in the downstream direction at least partially over the orifice, and wherein the overhang defines a portion of the throat of the orifice including the curved shape of the orifice.

16. An aerodynamic surface assembly of claim 15 wherein the overhang extends over the orifice such that the orifice is not visible when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the outer mold line at the step down region.

17. A method of enhancing aerodynamic performance, the method comprising:
establishing a flow field over an outer mold line of an aerodynamic surface in a downstream direction, wherein the outer mold line defines a smooth contour interrupted by first and second step down regions that are inset relative to the smooth contour defined by the outer mold line upstream thereof, wherein the aerodynamic surface defines first and second arrays of orifices opening into the step down regions, respectively, wherein the second linear array is downstream of the first linear array, and wherein the orifices of the second linear array are laterally offset relative to the orifices of the first linear array; and
ejecting fluid through the first and second set of orifices and into the flow field, wherein ejecting fluid through the orifices comprises receiving the fluid from a plenum that extends through the aerodynamic surface into an input region, directing the fluid from the input region into a pair of curved passageways of a fluidic actuator, wherein the curved passageways are in fluid communication with an interaction cavity upstream of the orifices such that the fluid that passes through the curved passageways enters the interaction cavity and exits through the orifices such that fluid that enters the interaction cavity has passed through at least one of the curved passageways,
wherei

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Whalen Edward A
• Desalvo Michael
• Glezer Ari

Classifications

• F15D1/008

  comprising fluid injection or suction means · CPC title

• B64C21/02 Primary

  by use of slot, ducts, porous areas or the like · CPC title

• B64C3/14

  Aerofoil profile · CPC title

• B64C9/14

  forming slots · CPC title

• B64C2230/08

  by influencing fluid flow by means of surface cavities, i.e. net fluid flow is null · CPC title