US 12,103,664 B2
Arrangement for influencing liquid flow and a method
Weichao Shi, Glasgow (GB); Mehmet Atlar, Glasgow (GB); Callum Stark, Glasgow (GB); Moritz Troll, Glasgow (GB); Matthew Thompson, Barrow-in-Furness (GB); and Leon Malcolm Sweet, Barrow-in-Furness (GB)
Assigned to BAE SYSTEMS PLC, London (GB)
Appl. No. 18/006,471
Filed by BAE SYSTEMS plc, London (GB)
PCT Filed Jul. 19, 2021, PCT No. PCT/GB2021/051844
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 23, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/019416, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 27, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 20275125 (EP), filed on Jul. 23, 2020; and application No. 2011399 (GB), filed on Jul. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0264807 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
Int. Cl. B64C 23/06 (2006.01); B63H 1/18 (2006.01); B64C 21/02 (2006.01); B64C 21/08 (2023.01); F15D 1/00 (2006.01); F15D 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 23/06 (2013.01) [B63H 1/18 (2013.01); B64C 21/02 (2013.01); B64C 21/08 (2013.01); F15D 1/009 (2013.01); F15D 1/06 (2013.01); B64C 2230/04 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An arrangement for influencing a liquid flow, the arrangement comprising:
a first section selectively configurable to provide a vortex generator surface at a leading edge of the first section, the vortex generator surface comprising a series of laterally aligned projections, to induce vortices in the liquid flow;
a second section downstream of the vortex generator surface and the first section; and
an actuator assembly comprising at least one actuator for extending the vortex generator surface between an extended position away from the second section and a retracted position back toward the second section;
wherein, in the extended position, the vortex generator surface increases a vorticity magnitude of the liquid flow, and, in the retracted position, the vortex generator surface decreases the vorticity magnitude of the liquid flow.