Aerodynamic body having perforated skin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11186358-B2
Application number	US-201816608569-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 22, 2018
Priority date	Apr 27, 2017
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

An aerodynamic body for use on an aircraft including at least a first perforated surface portion (25) and an ice-protection system (31). The first perforated surface portion (25) has perforations. The ice-protection system (31) includes an actuatable element (33) and the actuatable element (33) is movable or deformable between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the actuatable element (33) is thermally coupled to the first perforated surface portion (25) and configured to prevent an inflow or outflow between a boundary layer of an outer aerodynamic airflow and the aerodynamic body through at least one of the perforations. In the second position, the actuatable element (33) is distanced from the first perforated surface portion (25) and configured to allow an inflow from a boundary layer of an outer aerodynamic airflow through at least one of the perforations into the aerodynamic body.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aerodynamic body for use on an aircraft, wherein the aerodynamic body includes at least a first perforated surface portion and an ice-protection system,
wherein the ice-protection system includes an actuatable element,
wherein the actuatable element is movable or deformable between a first position and a second position,
wherein the first perforated surface portion includes micro-perforations;
wherein in the first position at least a section of the actuatable element covers an inner region of the first perforated surface portion to be thermally coupled to the first perforated surface portion and to prevent an inflow or an outflow of air between a boundary layer of an outer aerodynamic airflow and the aerodynamic body through the micro-perforations;
wherein in the second position at least a section of the actuatable element is distanced from the first perforated surface portion and within the aerodynamic body, and
wherein the actuatable element is configured to allow the inflow or the outflow of air through the micro-perforations.

2. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the actuatable element includes an electrical heating element.

3. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic body is at least one of a group comprising a main aircraft wing, a horizontal stabiliser, a vertical tail-plane, and a high-lift leading edge device.

4. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the actuatable element is movable in a rotatory and/or a translatory way between the first position and the second position.

5. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic body defines a leading edge and at least a part of a local chord extending between the leading edge and a trailing edge, and wherein the first perforated surface portion extends around the leading edge over 3% or less of the local chord.

6. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the ice-protection system includes a stationary element aft of the actuatable element, wherein the stationary element is permanently thermally coupled to a non-perforated surface portion of the aerodynamic body.

7. The aerodynamic body according to claim 6 , wherein the aerodynamic body includes at least a second perforated surface portion aft of the non-perforated surface portion.

8. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic body includes an active suction system configured to create and/or support an inflow or outflow between a boundary layer of an outer aerodynamic airflow and the aerodynamic body through the micro-perforations, and wherein the actuatable element is configured to be sucked into the second position by the active suction system.

9. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic body includes a solenoid, and wherein the solenoid is configured to moved the actuatable element to the second position.

10. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the actuatable element includes a bi-metal component deformable upon temperature changes, wherein the bi-metal component is configured to deform the actuatable element into the first position when the ice-protection system is used, and wherein the bi-metal component is configured to deform the actuatable element into the second position when the ice-protection system is not used.

11. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein the actuatable element is spring-loaded towards the first or second position.

12. The aerodynamic body according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of the perforations comprise micro-perforations.

13. A method for creating and/or supporting a laminar flow around an aerodynamic body, comprising:
providing an aerodynamic body including at least a first perforated surface portion and an ice-protection system, wherein the ice-protection system includes an actuatable element and wherein the first perforated surface portion includes micro-perforations,
actuating the actuatable element to move or deform into a first position, wherein in the first position at least a section of the actuatable element covers an inner region of the micro-perforations such that the adjustable element is thermally coupled to the first perforated surface portion and prevents an inflow or outflow between a boundary layer of an outer aerodynamic airflow and the aerodynamic body through the micro-perforations,
heating the first perforated surface portion for ice-protection,
actuating the actuatable element to move or deform into a second position, wherein in the second position at least a section of the actuatable element is within the aerodynamic body and distanced from the first perforated surface portion and allows an inflow or outflow between a boundary layer of an outer aerodynamic airflow and the aerodynamic body through the micro-perforations.

14. The method according to claim 13 , including the step of:
providing an active suction system for creating and/or supporting an inflow or outflow between a boundary layer of an outer aerodynamic airflow and the aerodynamic body through the micro-perforations,
wherein activating the actuatable element to move or deform into the second position comprises sucking the actuatable element into the second position by the active suction system.

15. The method according to claim 13 , including the step of:
providing a solenoid, wherein activating the actuatable element to move or deform into the second position comprises moving the actuatable element into the second position by the solenoid.

16. The method according to claim 13 , including the step of:
providing a bi-metal component being comprised in the actuatable element,
wherein activating the actuatable element to move or deform into the first position comprises heating the bi-metal component and thereby deforming the actuatable element into the first position,
wherein activating the actuatable element to move or deform into the second position comprises letting the bi-metal component cool down and thereby deforming the actuatable element into the second position.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Ltd

Inventors

• Hui Ching-Yu
• Mann Alan

Classifications

• Y02T50/10

  Drag reduction · CPC title

• B64C3/141

  Circulation Control Airfoils · CPC title

• B64D15/12 Primary

  by electric heating (heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas H05B3/84) · CPC title

• B64C21/06 Primary

  for sucking (BLI propulsion B64C21/01) · CPC title

• B64C2230/06

  by explicitly adjusting fluid flow, e.g. by using valves, variable aperture or slot areas, variable pump action or variable fluid pressure · CPC title