Patent ID: 8074938
Filing Date: 2011-12-13
Classification: B64C,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A method of altering fluid flow about a body moving relative to a fluid, comprising: providing the body in a fluid, the body having a first surface exposed to the fluid and a second surface exposed to the fluid; providing a first set of actuators associated with the first surface; providing a second set of actuators associated with the second surface; generating at least one first surface wave on the first surface of the body by actuating at least some of the first set of actuators, the at least one first surface wave propagating in a direction tangential to the first surface and at a first non-zero angle with the velocity vector of the body; and generating at least one second surface wave on the second surface of the body by actuating at least some of the second set of actuators, the at least one second surface wave propagating in a direction tangential to the second surface and at a second non-zero angle with the velocity vector of the body, the first angle being different than the second angle.