Smart Mesoflaps for Aeroelastic Transpiration to Control Shock Boundary Layer Interactions

摘要

The grant investigated a new concept in shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction control: tile use of aeroelastic mesoflaps to provide efficient recirculation transpiration. Appendix 1A presents a set of Power-Point slides which summarize the major finding of the study and also suggest a potential path forward to develop the technology and transition it to allow a bleedless supersonic inlet. As such, the goal would be to allow the overall benefits of a zero-bleed boundary layer control system into supersonic aircraft inlets: via retrofitting current inlets (e.g. the F-18E/F) or incorporating into design of future aircraft (e.g. the Long Range Strike Aircraft). As noted on Slide 2, the advantages of a bleedless inlet as evaluated by the aircraft industry are substantial and can considered in terms of either extended range (as much as 20%) or reduced gross take-off weight (as much as 10% as detailed in Part 7). As discussed on slides 2-9, tile aerodynamic benefits for tile mesoflaps over conventional recirculation transpiration with a porous plate include improved aerodynamics for subsonic conditions, more aerodynamic aerodynamic bleed and injection for shock interactions and increased shock stability. These benefits have been quantified for oblique impinging shocks, ramp-generated oblique shocks and normal shocks (Part 2). Additional research was conducted to understand tile structural dynamic issues (Parts 3 and 4) and how a closed-loop control system might be employed in order to allow further performance increases (Part 5). Appendix 1B gives an overview of the how these various research activities were integrated together.