To provide an aerodynamic control system which is efficient, maintenance-free, robust, reliable, high in bandwidth, lower in weight, solid-state and distributed.
An aerodynamic control system incorporates multiple Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) flow control actuators 36a-36d adjacent a surface of a wing of an airborne vehicle in a path of laminar boundary layer flow over the surface. A control computer receives a control input and selectively distributes power to an activation array selected from the DBD flow control actuators for transition to a first operating condition tripping the laminar boundary layer at selected streamwise locations for turbulent flow. When the control computer removes the distributed power the DBD flow control actuators return to a second operating condition restoring the laminar boundary layer.
SCHWIMLEY SCOTT L
SILKEY JOSEPH S
Kobayashi Yoshinori