Airfoil-Shaped Body for Airborne Cooling Pressure Gradient
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airborne internal cooling systems face challenges in providing a required air pressure coefficient at the air inlet and outlet ports, especially in autonomous cooling systems mounted on external payloads, leading to inefficiencies in air mass flow and energy consumption.
Innovation Solution
The use of airfoil-shaped bodies on the external surface of flying platforms, oriented at a suitable angle to generate positive and negative pressure coefficients at the air inlet and outlet ports, respectively, to create an optimal air pressure gradient within the cooling system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If air inlet and outlet ports are arranged on external payloads (pods, booms), then autonomous cooling is achieved, but locating positions with desired pressure coefficients becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
An airfoil-shaped body is introduced as an intermediary aerodynamic element between the oncoming air flow and the air ports. This mediator creates the desired pressure coefficient distribution (positive at inlet, negative at outlet) through its aerodynamic design, solving the difficulty of locating appropriate port positions on complex payload surfaces.
2Productivity
If scoops, internal pumps or fans are used to facilitate air entrance, then air flow into the duct is enhanced, but device complexity and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The airfoil-shaped body enables the cooling system to self-generate the required pressure gradient using only the kinetic energy of oncoming air flow. The aerodynamic design creates positive pressure at the inlet and negative pressure at the outlet automatically, eliminating the need for mechanical pumps or fans.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical system (pumps/fans) is replaced with an aerodynamic system (airfoil-shaped body). The pressure gradient is generated through aerodynamic forces rather than mechanical work, reducing device complexity and energy consumption.
3Productivity
If scoops, internal pumps or fans are used to facilitate air entrance, then air flow into the duct is enhanced, but weight penalty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airfoil-shaped body enables the cooling system to self-generate the required pressure gradient using only the kinetic energy of oncoming air flow. The aerodynamic design creates positive pressure at the inlet and negative pressure at the outlet automatically, eliminating the need for mechanical pumps or fans.
4Stress or pressure
If air ports are arranged on conventional aircraft surfaces, then desired pressure coefficients are achieved, but integration with general air cooling system is required
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is segmented as an autonomous module on external payloads, separate from the aircraft's general cooling system. The airfoil-shaped body is integrated only with the payload's air ports, enabling independent operation while maintaining desired pressure coefficients.
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
This solution allows for efficient air mass flow with minimal energy consumption, effective cooling, and adaptability to complex surface contours, while reducing the need for additional devices like pumps or fans, thus enhancing cooling effectiveness and structural integrity.
Implementation Method 1
Each airfoil-shaped body is configured for providing a negative pressure coefficient at the corresponding desired area on one side of the airfoil-shaped body and a positive pressure coefficient at the corresponding desired area on the other side of the airfoil-shaped body, when the airfoil-shaped body is oriented at a suitable angle of attack to an oncoming air flow
Data Source
AI summary
An aerodynamic arrangement and method for providing a required air pressure coefficient at an area of location of an air port of an internal cooling system of a flying platform is described. The air port is selected from an air inlet port and an air outlet port, and arranged at a desired area in an external surface of the flying platform. The aerodynamic arrangement includes at least one airfoil-shaped body arranged on the external surface at the area of the air port for providing a negative pressure coefficient at the corresponding desired area on one side of the airfoil-shaped body and a positive pressure coefficient at the corresponding desired area on the other side of the airfoil-shaped body, when the airfoil-shaped body is oriented at a suitable angle of attack to an oncoming air flow.