Patent ID: 8303024

Claim:
A method for controlling flow across an opening in an exterior surface, with said opening being bounded in part by a leading edge, and with air flowing over said exterior surface in a direction which is substantially parallel to said exterior surface, comprising: a. providing an array of microjets proximate said leading edge; b. wherein each microjet in said array is approximately normal to said exterior surface; c. wherein each microjet in said array has a diameter between about 200 micrometers and about 1 millimeter; d. providing a source of compressed air with a pressure between about 2 psi and about 30 psi above an ambient pressure; e. providing at least one valve selectively connecting said array of microjets to said source of compressed air; and f. activating said at least one valve in order to produce high speed flow from said microjets, thereby disrupting the formation of large scale rotating structures in said flow across said opening.