Aerodynamic element and wing with aerodynamic element, actuator-activation module, computer, computer program and method of influencing wake eddies
View Patent ↗An aerodynamic element attachable to a primary wing to extend in a longitudinal direction at an angle to a spanwise direction of the primary wing. The aerodynamic element includes a downstream end having at least two flow flaps arranged next to each other and oriented in the longitudinal direction of the aerodynamic element.
1. An aerodynamic element attachable to a primary wing of an aircraft to extend in a longitudinal direction at an angle to a spanwise direction of the primary wing, the aerodynamic element comprising:
a downstream end having at least two flow flaps arranged next to each other and oriented in the longitudinal direction of the aerodynamic element,
wherein the aerodynamic element is configured to produce an oscillation of the at least two flow flaps to generate motion-induced aerodynamic forces with frequencies associated with inherent wake eddy instabilities of the aircraft.
2. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein the at least two flow flaps comprises an even number of flow flaps.
3. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein the at least two flow flaps comprises an odd number of flow flaps.
4. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein said aerodynamic element is configured to produce a phase-shifted oscillation of the flow flaps, such that motion-induced aerodynamic forces generated by the flow flaps measures under 10% of a maximum aerodynamic force that can be induced by one of the flow flaps at any point in time.
5. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein said aerodynamic element is configured to produce an oscillation in phase opposition of the flow flaps, motion-induced aerodynamic forces generated by said aerodynamic elements are precisely cancelled out at any point in an oscillation period.
6. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein the flow flaps situated on the aerodynamic element are directly adjacent to each other.
7. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , further comprising at least one actuator configured to move one of:
the flow flaps from a zero setting; and
each flow flap from a zero setting.
8. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein the flow flaps are mechanically coupled to each other, and further comprising an actuator coupled to the flow flaps, whereby an activation motion of the actuator simultaneously induces one of phase-shifted motions of the flow flaps and motions in phase opposition.
9. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , further comprising one or more actuators, each of the one or more actuators being configured to move one of the flow flaps from a reference setting, whereby each flow flap is movable in two opposite directions.
10. The aerodynamic element of claim 9 , wherein the reference setting is a setting that measures at most 10% of a minimum aerodynamic resistance value.
11. The aerodynamic element of claim 9 , wherein the flow flaps are structured and arranged to perform flap excursions measuring in both directions proceeding from a reference setting between 10 and 40 degrees.
12. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic element is a winglet arranged at a tip of the primary wing.
13. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein the aerodynamic element is arranged in an area between a root and a tip of the primary wing.
14. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein the angle is 90 degrees.
15. The aerodynamic element of claim 1 , wherein the angle is between 45 and 90 degrees.
16. A primary wing comprising an aerodynamic element of claim 1 .
17. The wing of claim 16 , wherein the aerodynamic element comprises at least one actuator for activating the at least two flow flaps.
18. The wing of claim 16 , wherein the aerodynamic element comprises at least one actuator and a computer configured to activate the at least one actuator.