Thermal actuation of a riblet is described herein. An apparatus includes a riblet structure (300) defining an aerodynamic surface (303) of a vehicle. The apparatus also includes a thermal expansion element (304) within or operatively coupled to the riblet structure (300), wherein the thermal expansion element (304) changes shape in response to a surrounding temperature, to displace a movable portion (402) of the riblet structure (300), relative to the aerodynamic surface (303), to alter an aerodynamic characteristic of the vehicle.
THERMAL ACTUATION OF RIBLETS
THERMISCHE BETÄTIGUNG VON RIBLETS
ACTIONNEMENT THERMIQUES DE RIBLETS
2018-12-05
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
AIAA | 2018
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