Active Aerodynamics Article

[mloveland78]

I thought this might be interesting, using high voltage ionized air to reduce resistance and drag.

http://www.festo.com/rep/en_corp/ass...Airfish_en.pdf

[aerohead]

The U.S.Air Force investigated ionizing the boundary layer of aircraft in the 1950s using high-voltage.As I remember,this research led nowhere.
It's part of UFO lore,that 'saucers,' utilizing this technology,would not be subject to traditional aerodynamic limitations within the troposphere,stratosphere,etc..

[Cobb]

I think Tesla the scientist also played with ionizing the atmosphere around vehicles, however it just prevent the use of radio communications.

Maybe in a honda with lean burn like an insight it can have some measurable effect? Of course got to account for the power needed to generate the ions.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by Cobb

I think Tesla the scientist also played with ionizing the atmosphere around vehicles, however it just prevent the use of radio communications.

Maybe in a honda with lean burn like an insight it can have some measurable effect? Of course got to account for the power needed to generate the ions.

The odd thing about automobiles is that skin friction helps provide the turbulent boundary which is necessary for preventing separation-induced pressure drag,the major component of aerodynamic drag in bluff body flow.This isn't something encountered with aircraft,as fully attached flow is implicit in their design.

[botsapper]

A sub-field in aircraft aerodynamics research was to explore manipulating electromagnetic radiation and ionized gas not only for enhanced aerodynamics but also for radar-absorption - stealth technology. They generated wing plasma layers or 'bubbles' and electrohydrodynamic coupling to control airflow both in both high-speed and low-speed ranges.

Cool aero-thermodynamics vids;

Wrangling flow to quiet cars and aircraft

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by botsapper

A sub-field in aircraft aerodynamics research was to explore manipulating electromagnetic radiation and ionized gas not only for enhanced aerodynamics but also for radar-absorption - stealth technology. They generated wing plasma layers or 'bubbles' and electrohydrodynamic coupling to control airflow both in both high-speed and low-speed ranges.

Cool aero-thermodynamics vids;

Wrangling flow to quiet cars and aircraft

I must presume that they intend to fully streamline the vehicle to end separation,then kill the turbulent boundary layer with the plasma,to reduce the skin friction.That would be really good.

[botsapper]

...Skunk Works, Phantom Works & sci-fi rumors; for EM stealth purposes, the designs had the plasma generators start at the nose and spaced on all trailing surfaces. Plasma panel surfaces for 'aileron-less' supersonic & even hypersonic designs at critical boundary layer transitions, shock/boundary & shock/shock interactions to - mitigate/eliminate sonic booms!

"You didn't see anything, right?"

Mystery Aircraft Over Texas


Me thinks, a manned EC/strike version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDTAxbP7tT8