HAPS Wing Boundary Layer Intake for Laminar Flow and Low Drag
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flight vehicles face challenges in maintaining laminar flow and reducing drag while avoiding weight increase and complex structures, particularly in stratospheric platforms used for wireless communication, due to partial intake of airflow.
Innovation Solution
The stratospheric platform HAPS employs a wing unit with an air intake system using laser-machined minute openings for boundary layer intake, a heat sink with a harmonica shape to heat and expand air, and an exhaust unit with a nozzle to accelerate airflow, preventing peeling and maintaining laminar flow without the need for plasma actuators, thus reducing power consumption and weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If plasma actuators are used to maintain laminar flow and reduce drag, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and utilizes the boundary layer airflow itself as the working fluid for propulsion, removing the need for complex plasma actuators. The boundary layer intake unit directly captures the airflow that would otherwise be wasted, converting it into useful thrust through the propulsion unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own boundary layer flow to generate propulsion, making the airflow serve dual purposes: maintaining laminar flow over the wing and providing thrust. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external power-consuming actuators.
2Speed
If conventional air intake systems are used, then propulsion is achieved, but laminar flow is disrupted and drag increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air intake system is localized to the boundary layer region with minute openings specifically positioned to capture only the laminar boundary layer flow, while the rest of the wing surface maintains its smooth aerodynamic profile. This localized approach preserves laminar flow quality over the majority of the wing surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The air intake unit employs a porous structure with minute openings that allow selective passage of boundary layer air while maintaining the overall aerodynamic surface integrity. The porous design enables gentle extraction of boundary layer flow without creating turbulence or disrupting the laminar flow over the wing.
3Stability of the object's composition
If boundary layer intake is implemented, then laminar flow is maintained, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The air intake system is divided into numerous small openings distributed across the boundary layer region, with each opening being simple in geometry. This segmentation approach allows the collective effect to maintain laminar flow while individual openings can be manufactured with standard precision using techniques like laser drilling or punching.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of porous materials or structures with regular pore patterns allows boundary layer intake while maintaining manufacturing feasibility. The porous structure provides sufficient airflow extraction without requiring high-precision individual hole positioning, as the collective effect of many simple pores achieves the desired flow control.
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 configuration enhances lift and reduces drag while minimizing power consumption and weight, effectively maintaining laminar flow and providing efficient propulsion for the HAPS.
Implementation Method 1
a heat sink unit that cools the battery with the air and heats and expands the air that has cooled the battery
Implementation Method 2
an exhaust unit that accelerates the air expanded by the heat sink unit and exhausts the air
Implementation Method 3
an air intake system using laser-machined minute openings for boundary layer intake
Implementation Method 4
The HAPS includes a heat pipe that circulates thermal energy
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a flight vehicle including: a wing unit; a main body unit; a battery that is arranged in the wing unit; a payload that is arranged in the main body unit; a radiator; and a heat pipe that exchanges heat between the battery, the payload, and the radiator and that has a check valve which causes a hydraulic fluid to be circulated to transfer the heat of the battery to the payload and the radiator.