Trailing Edge Contour Surfaces for Wake Vortex Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for wake vortex control and drag alleviation do not effectively eliminate concentrated trailing wake vortices, leading to increased drag and safety concerns in aircraft operations, as they often rely on winglets or surface oscillations that are not adaptable to varying flight conditions and do not significantly reduce the kinetic energy of wake vortices.
Innovation Solution
The integration of three-dimensional contour surfaces with riblets and compliant surfaces along the trailing edge of lifting or thrust-generating bodies, which promote mixing of fluid streams across the span, reducing the size and duration of wake vortices and inducing smaller, less intense wake structures, thereby reducing drag and vortex-induced flutter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If winglet structures are added to reduce induced drag, then drag is reduced, but the concentrated wake vortex structure is not eliminated and safety concerns remain
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the concentrated wake vortex into multiple smaller vortices by introducing spanwise oscillations along the lifting surface. Instead of having one large concentrated vortex at the wingtip, the oscillating control surfaces create numerous smaller vortices distributed across the span, which dissipate more quickly and pose less safety risk to following aircraft.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs dynamic control surfaces that oscillate spanwise along the lifting surface. These control surfaces are actuated to create time-varying disturbances in the boundary layer, which generate and shed smaller vortices. The oscillation frequency and amplitude can be adjusted to optimize vortex breakup while maintaining lift and minimizing drag.
2Loss of energy
If conventional wake vortex control methods are used, then some drag reduction is achieved, but the methods are not adaptable to varying flight conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The control surfaces are designed to be dynamically actuated with adjustable oscillation frequency, amplitude, and phase. This allows the system to adapt to different flight conditions such as varying speed, altitude, and configuration. The control system can modify the oscillation parameters in real-time to optimize performance across the flight envelope.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameters of the wake vortex structure by controlling the frequency, amplitude, and spanwise distribution of the oscillating control surfaces. By adjusting these parameters, the system can optimize vortex breakup for different flight conditions, transitioning from laminar to turbulent flow regimes as needed to achieve desired drag reduction and safety outcomes.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If control surface oscillations are used to break up wake vortices, then vortex intensity is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control surfaces can be implemented as flexible, thin-film actuators that oscillate spanwise along the lifting surface. These flexible membranes or shells can be actuated by simple mechanisms such as pneumatic or electrical actuators, reducing the overall system complexity compared to rigid, mechanically complex control surface systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The oscillating control surfaces are designed to utilize the natural aerodynamic forces and boundary layer characteristics to achieve vortex breakup. The system leverages the existing flow field and structural properties of the lifting surface, requiring minimal additional infrastructure or complex control mechanisms to achieve the desired wake vortex mitigation.
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 approach significantly reduces induced drag, vortex-induced noise, and the intensity of wake vortices, allowing for increased aircraft capacity, improved safety, and reduced fuel consumption by dissipating wake vortices more efficiently, potentially increasing flight performance and reducing separation distances between aircraft.
Implementation Method 1
promote mixing of fluid streams across the span, reducing the size and duration of wake vortices and inducing smaller, less intense wake structures
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and apparatuses for mitigating the formation of concentrated wake vortex structures generated from lifting or thrust-generating bodies and maneuvering control surfaces wherein the use of contour surface geometries promotes vortex-mixing of high and low flow fluids. The methods and apparatuses can be combined with various drag reduction techniques, such as the use of riblets of various types and/or compliant surfaces (passive and active). Such combinations form unique structures for various fluid dynamic control applications to suppress transiently growing forms of boundary layer disturbances in a manner that significantly improves performance and has improved control dynamics.