University of Warwick researchers reduce drag and fuel consumption of airplane by 20%

The new approach uses tiny air powered jets on the surface of the wings to redirect the air to flow sideways back and forth over the wing to reduce drag.

Researchers at the University of Warwick have found a way to reduce airline fuel bills and emissions by 20%.

The new approach uses tiny air powered jets on the surface of the wings to redirect the air to flow sideways back and forth over the wing to reduce drag. The jets work by the Helholtz resonance principle. When air is forced into a cavity, the pressure increases and forces air out and sucks it back in, causing an oscillation.
The research by the University is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Airbus.

Dr Duncan Lockerby, from the University of Warwick, who is leading the project, said: “This has come as a bit of a surprise to all of us in the aerodynamics community. It was discovered, essentially, by waggling a piece of wing from side to side in a wind tunnel.”

“The truth is we’re not exactly sure why this technology reduces drag but with the pressure of climate change we can’t afford to wait around to find out. So we are pushing ahead with prototypes and have a separate three-year project to look more carefully at the physics behind it.”

If successful, this technology could also have a major impact on the aerodynamic design and fuel consumptions of cars, boats, and trains. While it is still at concept stage, it is hoped the new wings could be ready for trials as early as 2012.

The research, also partly-funded by EADS Innovation Works, is being carried out with scientists at Cardiff, Imperial, Sheffield, and Queen's University Belfast.


-  Katrice R. Jalbuena

Source:

¹ http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/wings_that_waggle