Adaptive Shock Control Bump for Aircraft Wings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional shock control bumps on aircraft wings are not adaptive and fail to effectively reduce characteristic impedance and buffeting behavior across varying flight conditions, particularly at transonic and supersonic speeds.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive shock control bump system with an upper surface element and a first actuator-powered mechanism, comprising segments with varying stiffness and mechanical pretension, allowing the shape to change dynamically to manage shockwave intensity and position, thereby reducing drag and buffeting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional fixed shock control bump is used, then the shockwave structure is modified at design conditions, but the performance deteriorates when flight conditions vary from design conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The shock control bump is designed with multiple segments (upstream segment, interconnecting segment, downstream segment) that can dynamically change their relative positions through actuators. This allows the bump shape to adapt to different flight conditions (subsonic, transonic, supersonic) by varying the distance between segments, thereby maintaining shock control effectiveness across the entire flight envelope rather than being optimized for a single design condition.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the upper surface element is made rigid to maintain shape, then structural stability is improved, but the ability to adapt shape for different flight conditions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The upper surface element is divided into multiple rigid segments (upstream segment with first stiffness, interconnecting segment with second stiffness, downstream segment with third stiffness) connected by actuators. Each segment maintains its own structural stability through appropriate stiffness design, while the actuated connections between segments enable overall shape adaptation. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for structural integrity while the system as a whole achieves adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different segments are assigned different stiffness values (S1, S2, S3) tailored to their specific functional requirements. The upstream and downstream segments have higher stiffness for structural stability, while the interconnecting segment has lower stiffness to facilitate shape change. This local differentiation of mechanical properties allows the structure to be stable where needed while remaining adaptable where required.
3Loss of energy
If the bump height is increased to improve shock control, then drag reduction is improved, but the weight of the structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than using a single large fixed bump that would require heavy structural support, the invention uses multiple smaller segments that can dynamically adjust their configuration. The actuators enable these segments to achieve the necessary bump height for effective shock control only when needed (at transonic/supersonic speeds), allowing for a lighter overall structure compared to a permanently large fixed bump.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adaptive system reduces shockwave intensity and characteristic impedance, leading to lower fuel burn and improved buffeting behavior across different flight conditions with minimal additional weight.
Implementation Method 1
the interconnecting segment SEG 3 exhibits a mechanical pretension causing the upper surface element to exhibit in a reference status a convex shape with a maximum bump height BH max
Implementation Method 2
the first actuator powered mechanism controls the shape of the upper surface element by controlling the distance between C1 and C2, such that a pulling force is applied to the upper surface element by reducing a distance between C1 and C2
Implementation Method 3
A shock control protrusion extends away from the lower surface and is positioned to generate a shock extending away from the lower surface at at least one flight condition
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
Provided is an aircraft wing (100) with an upper surface element (101) and a first actuator powered mechanism (102) for varying the shape of the upper surface element (101), wherein the surface element (101) is comprising: an upstream segment SEG1 with a stiffness S1, a downstream segment SEG2 with a stiffness S2, an interconnecting segment SEG3 with a stiffness S3, the interconnecting segment SEG3 is interconnecting a downstream edge of SEG1 with an upstream edge of SEG2, wherein the interconnecting segment SEG3 is extending along the whole downstream edge of SEG1 and the whole upstream edge of SEG2, or at least along a major part of the downstream edge of SEG1 and a major part of the upstream edge of SEG2, and the interconnecting segment SEG3 exhibits a mechanical pretension causing a convex shape of the upper surface element with: S3 < S1, S2, a link element LNK, the link element LNK is interconnecting an upstream edge of SEG1 with an upper surface (103) of the aircraft wing, and the first actuator powered mechanism (102) is interconnecting a contact C1 on a lower side of the upper surface element (101) with a contact C2 on an inner structure of the airfoil, wherein the first actuator powered mechanism (102) controls the shape of the upper surface element (101) by controlling the distance between C1 and C2.