Synchronization of fluidic actuators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9718538-B2
Application number	US-201214354579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2012
Priority date	Oct 27, 2011
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A fluidic system is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of fluidic oscillatory actuators, and at least one synchronization conduit connecting two or more of the actuators such as to effect synchronization between oscillations in the two or more connected actuators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluidic system, comprising:
a plurality of fluidic oscillatory actuators, each actuator having a joining channel, a pair of control ports at opposite sides of said joining channel, and a feedback conduit directly connecting said control ports of said pair to each other; and
a plurality of external synchronization conduits connecting at least two of said actuators, wherein for at least two of said external synchronization conduits, each conduit directly connects control ports that are on the same side of a respective joining channel.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said synchronization conduits are effective to provide said synchronization devoid of any moving non-fluidic parts.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said actuator is a suction and oscillatory blowing actuator (SaOB).

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said synchronization conduits are selected to control phase lag among said actuators.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each control port of each oscillatory actuator is respectively connected to at least two control ports of at least two another oscillatory actuators.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each control port of each oscillatory actuator is connected to only one control port of another oscillatory actuator.

7. An active separation control system, attachable to the rear end of a vehicle and comprising the system according to claim 1 .

8. The system according to claim 7 , further comprising a flexible member, wherein said fluidic oscillatory actuators and said at least one synchronization conduit are mounted on said flexible member, and wherein the system is mountable on a rotatable door of said vehicle such that said flexible member assumes a different shape when said door is closed than when said door is open.

9. The system according to claim 7 , wherein said vehicle is a truck trailer.

10. The system according to claim 7 , wherein said vehicle is an aeronautical vehicle.

11. A vehicle, comprising the system according to claim 7 .

12. An active separation control system, attachable to an object selected from the group consisting of an airfoil, a wing or a fuselage, and comprising the system according to claim 1 .

13. A method of synchronizing fluidic oscillatory actuators, each having a joining channel and a pair of control ports at opposite sides of the joining channel, the method comprising:
establishing fluid flow within a plurality of external synchronization conduits connecting at least two actuators, wherein for at least two of said external synchronization conduits, each conduit directly connects control ports that are on the same side of a respective joining channel; and
for at least one of said actuators, establishing a feedback fluid flow between control ports at opposite sides of a respective joining channel of said actuator.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each actuator is connected by a respective synchronization conduit to all other actuators in said array.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said synchronization conduit is effective to provide said synchronization devoid of any moving non-fluidic parts.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein said establishing fluid flow comprises increasing a phase lag among said actuators.

17. The method according to claim 13 , being executed for actively controlling the flow at a fluid boundary layer.

18. The method according to claim 13 , being executed for actively controlling the flow over a bluff body.

19. The method according to claim 13 , being executed for actively controlling wake flow.

20. The method according to claim 13 , being executed for actively controlling lift.

21. The method according to claim 13 , being executed for actively controlling moment acting on a fuselage, a rocket or an aircraft.

22. The method according to claim 13 , being executed for actively reducing drag.

23. The system according to claim 1 , wherein each of said external synchronization conduits directly connects control ports that are on the same side of a respective joining channel.

Assignees

• Ramot At Tel-Aviv Univ Ltd

Inventors

• Seifert Avraham
• Dayan Isaac
• Shtendel Tom

Classifications

• F15C1/08

  Boundary-layer devices, e.g. wall-attachment amplifiers {coanda effect (fluid oscillators of pulse generators F15B21/12)} · CPC title

• F15C1/006

  for aeronautics; for rockets (drives, controls); for satellites; for air cushion vehicles; for controlling vessels or torpedoes (injectors F04F5/00; aircraft control by jet reaction B64C15/00; air pressure regulation in aircraft B64D13/04; instruments adapted to be mounted in aircraft B64D43/00) · CPC title

• B64C21/00 Primary

  Influencing air flow over aircraft surfaces by affecting boundary layer flow · CPC title

• F15D1/008

  comprising fluid injection or suction means · CPC title

• F15B21/12

  Fluid oscillators or pulse generators · CPC title