Patent ID: 6464171
Filing Date: 2002-10-15
Classification: B64C,Y02T

Abstract:
A body component for reducing drag during at least supersonic motion of the body component in a flow, the motion being in a direction of travel, said body component comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge generally opposite said leading edge, an upper surface extending between said leading edge and said trailing edge, and a lower surface extending between said leading edge and said trailing edge and separated a distance from said upper surface, thereby defining an interior volume within said body component, said body component further comprising a channel extending through said interior volume between an inlet opening at said leading edge and a single outlet opening in said body component below said upper surface, wherein said channel has a cross-sectional area whereby at the at least supersonic motion of the body component, a detached normal shock wave develops in front of said leading edge so the flow enters said channel with subsonic relative motion, creating a subsonic section at the inlet opening of said channel.