Method of increasing the performance of aircraft, missiles, munitions and ground vehicles with plasma actuators

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9834301-B1
Application number	US-201213570684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 9, 2012
Priority date	May 2, 2006
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A method of increasing the performance of an aircraft, missile, munition or ground vehicle with plasma actuators, and more particularly of controlling fluid flow across their surfaces or other surfaces which would benefit from such a method, includes the design of an aerodynamic plasma actuator for the purpose of controlling airflow separation over a control surface of a aircraft, missile, or a ground vehicle, and a method of determining a modulation frequency for the plasma actuator for the purpose of fluid flow control over these vehicles. Various embodiments provide steps to increase the efficiency of aircraft, missiles, munitions and ground vehicles. The method of flow control reduces the power requirements of the aircraft, missile, munition or ground vehicle. These methods also provide alternative aerodynamic control using low-power hingeless plasma actuator devices.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of increasing the performance of a ground vehicle comprising the step of activating a plasma actuator located a placement distance from a trailing edge or aft end of a surface of the ground vehicle, on or essentially flush with the surface, at a frequency equal to between about 0.6 to about 1.4 times the velocity of a fluid flowing past the surface divided by the placement distance, or the extent of flow separation, wherein the activation of the plasma actuator improves the ground vehicle's maneuverability, stability, or turn rate, or reduces its drag, noise, vibration, or power requirements.

2. The method in claim 1 , wherein the ground vehicle is a sports car or race car.

3. The method in claim 2 , wherein the surface is a spoiler.

4. The method in claim 1 , wherein the plasma actuator is a dielectric-barrier-discharge plasma actuator, and is operated in an unsteady mode.

5. The method in claim 1 , wherein the plasma actuator is activated and deactivated by a closed loop control system.

6. The method in claim 1 , wherein the plasma actuator is activated and deactivated with an adaptive, predictive controller.

7. The method in claim 1 , wherein a sensor detects or predicts flow separation of the fluid near the location of the plasma actuator or assists in measuring or estimating the velocity of fluid flowing past the surface.

8. A method of increasing the performance of a missile, aircraft or munition comprising the step of activating a plasma actuator located a placement distance from a trailing edge or aft end of a surface of the missile, aircraft or munition, on or essentially flush with the surface, at a frequency equal to between about 0.6 to about 1.4 times the velocity of a fluid flowing past the surface divided by the placement distance, or the extent of flow separation, wherein the activation of the plasma actuator improves the missile, aircraft or munition's aerodynamic maneuverability, stability, turn rate, glide range, or payload, or reduces its takeoff/landing distance, drag, noise, vibration, or power requirements.

9. The method in claim 8 , wherein the plasma actuator is a dielectric-barrier-discharge plasma actuator.

10. The method in claim 8 , wherein the plasma actuator is activated and deactivated by a closed loop control system that uses an adaptive, predictive controller.

11. The method in claim 8 , wherein a sensor detects or predicts flow separation of the fluid near the location of the plasma actuator.

12. The method in claim 8 , wherein is sensor assists in measuring or estimating the velocity of fluid flowing past the surface.

13. The method in claim 8 , wherein the plasma actuator is operated in an unsteady mode.

Assignees

• Patel Mehul
• Corke Tom
• Orbital Res Inc
• Univ Notre Dame Du Lac

Inventors

• Patel Mehul
• Corke Tom

Classifications

• B64C2230/12

  by using electromagnetic tiles, fluid ionizers, static charges or plasma · CPC title

• B64C23/005 Primary

  by other means not covered by groups B64C23/02 - B64C23/08, e.g. by electric charges, magnetic panels, piezoelectric elements, static charges or ultrasounds · CPC title

• F42B10/38

  Range-increasing arrangements (F42B10/34, F42B14/06 {and F42B15/105} take precedence) · CPC title

• B62D35/007

  Rear spoilers (B62D35/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F42B10/668

  Injection of a fluid, e.g. a propellant, into the gas shear in a nozzle or in the boundary layer at the outer surface of a missile, e.g. to create a shock wave in a supersonic flow · CPC title