Fluid e.g. liquid or gas, flow influencing method, involves activating piezoelectric units integrated in structure, such that part of upper surface of structure is moved by deformation of piezoelectric unit to influence flow along structure

• Main Authors: MAUCHER, CHRISTOPH, GROHMANN, BORIS, LORKOWSKI, THOMAS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; German
• Published: 24.05.2007
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; BLASTING; CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TOTRANSPORTATION; COSMONAUTICS; FLUID DYNAMICS, i.e. METHODS OR MEANS FOR INFLUENCING THE FLOWOF GASES OR LIQUIDS; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; HEATING; HELICOPTERS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

The method involves activating a set of piezoelectric units (14) integrated in a structure (16) in such a manner that a part of an upper surface (12) of the structure (16) is moved by deformation of the piezoelectric units to influence flow along the structure. The units are controlled for a quasi-static deformation and a high frequency deformation. Each of the piezoelectric units is activated independently to one other. Each unit is activated depending on data that is detected by a current sensor (30) and evaluated in a controller (28). Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a flow influencing device comprising a piezoelectric unit (2) an application of a piezoelectric unit or a set of piezoelectric units for influencing fluid flow (3) an actuator with a set of piezoelectric units (4) an aerodynamic profile with a flow influencing device. Ein Verfahren zur Strömungsbeeinflussung mittels eines Piezoelements (14) beinhaltet das Aktivieren eines in einer Struktur (16) integrierten Piezoelements (14), derart, dass durch die Formänderung des Piezoelements (14) aufgrund der Aktivierung zumindest ein Teil der Oberfläche der Struktur (16) derart mitbewegt wird, dass eine Strömung entlang der Struktur (16) gezielt beeinflusst wird.