Truncated Flap Support Fairings with Active Flow Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft flap support fairings, when extended to support flaps, often encounter high heat and vibration from engine exhaust, leading to increased weight and cost due to the need for stronger materials, and positioning them away from the engine plume results in unbalanced load distribution and aerodynamic inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The use of truncated flap support fairings that are shortened to avoid the engine plume, combined with an active flow control system that ejects high-velocity air from nozzles along the aft end to reduce drag and streamline airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the flap support fairing is extended outwardly beyond the trailing edges of the flaps to support the flap, then the flap support function is improved, but the fairing is exposed to high heat and vibration from engine exhaust, requiring stronger materials and increasing weight and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the flap support function from the traditional extended fairing configuration and relocates it to a truncated fairing positioned inwardly, away from the harmful engine exhaust zone. The support function is maintained through strategic positioning rather than extended length, eliminating exposure to heat and vibration while preserving structural capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an active flow control system as an intermediary mechanism between the truncated fairing and the airflow. This system uses synthetic jets to manipulate the flow field, creating a virtual extension that compensates for the physical truncation, thereby maintaining aerodynamic performance without requiring the fairing to extend into the harmful exhaust zone.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the flap support fairing is positioned away from the engine plume to avoid heat and vibration, then the exposure to harmful factors is reduced, but unbalanced load distribution and aerodynamic inefficiencies occur
Solution Approach 1:
The active flow control system acts as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the truncated fairing position and the desired aerodynamic performance. By injecting momentum through synthetic jets, the system creates a flow structure that effectively extends the fairing's aerodynamic influence without physical extension, maintaining efficiency while avoiding exhaust exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the flow parameters (velocity, direction, momentum) through the active flow control system to compensate for the truncated geometry. By dynamically adjusting flow characteristics, the system maintains aerodynamic efficiency equivalent to extended configurations while the physical structure remains short and positioned away from harmful exhaust.
3Weight of moving object
If the flap support fairing is truncated to shorter length to avoid engine plume, then the weight and material cost are reduced, but drag increases due to shortened aerodynamic structure
Solution Approach 1:
The active flow control system serves as a mediator that compensates for the drag penalty of truncation. By injecting high-momentum fluid through synthetic jets, the system creates a virtual aerodynamic extension that reduces pressure drag and flow separation, effectively抵消 the drag increase from shortened physical structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs pneumatic actuation through synthetic jet nozzles to generate controlled airflows that manipulate the external flow field. This pneumatic system creates favorable pressure gradients and delays flow separation, reducing drag on the truncated fairing without requiring additional structural length or weight.
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 allows for lighter, less expensive materials while maintaining an aerodynamic position aligned with the engine, reducing drag and improving fuel efficiency by minimizing turbulence and load on the flap support fairing.
Implementation Method 1
The nozzle is to eject high velocity air in a streamwise direction from the aft end of the flap support fairing
Data Source
AI summary
Truncated flap support fairings with active flow control system for aircraft and related methods are disclosed herein. An example aircraft includes a wing having a fixed wing portion, a flap moveably coupled to the fixed wing portion, a flap support fairing coupled to a bottom of the flap, the flap support fairing having an aft end, and an active flow control system including a nozzle. The nozzle is to eject high velocity air in a streamwise direction from the aft end of the flap support fairing.