A device which increases the energy efficiency and aerodynamic properties of aircraft was developed. A wingtip pusher propeller is positioned aft of the wingtip to rotate in the crossflow of the wingtip vortex. The propeller rotates against the vortex swirl creating additional thrust from and attenuating the wingtip vortex by simultaneously extracting energy from the vortex and converting it to propeller blade-induced thrust. The propeller injects its high energy wake into the vortex axial flow to dissipate the vortex. The device increases aircraft fuel efficiency by simultaneously increasing thrust and decreasing vortex induced drag. By attenuating the vortex, safety to following aircraft is maximized.
Wingtip Vortex Propeller
1984
16 pages
Report
No indication
English
Aircraft , Aerodynamics , Government Inventions for Licensing , Patent applications , Aerodynamic configurations , Aerodynamic stability , Aircraft design , Engine airframe integration , Engine design , Flight safety , Fuel consumption , Propellers , Vortex alleviation , Wing tip vortices , Aerodynamic drag , Boundary layer control , Propeller efficiency , Propeller slipstreams , Thrust distribution
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