Patents by Inventor Lewis R. Owens

Lewis R. Owens has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Boundary-layer-ingesting inlet flow control system
    Patent number: 7784732
    Abstract: A system for reducing distortion at the aerodynamic interface plane of a boundary-layer-ingesting inlet using a combination of active and passive flow control devices is disclosed. Active flow control jets and vortex generating vanes are used in combination to reduce distortion across a range of inlet operating conditions. Together, the vortex generating vanes can reduce most of the inlet distortion and the active flow control jets can be used at a significantly reduced control jet mass flow rate to make sure the inlet distortion stays low as the inlet mass flow rate varies. Overall inlet distortion, measured and described as average SAE circumferential distortion descriptor, was maintained at a value of 0.02 or less. Advantageous arrangements and orientations of the active flow control jets and the vortex generating vanes were developed using computational fluid dynamics simulations and wind tunnel experimentations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Lewis R. Owens, Brian G. Allan
  • Boundary-Layer-Ingesting Inlet Flow Control System
    Publication number: 20080164378
    Abstract: A system for reducing distortion at the aerodynamic interface plane of a boundary-layer-ingesting inlet using a combination of active and passive flow control devices is disclosed. Active flow control jets and vortex generating vanes are used in combination to reduce distortion across a range of inlet operating conditions. Together, the vortex generating vanes can reduce most of the inlet distortion and the active flow control jets can be used at a significantly reduced control jet mass flow rate to make sure the inlet distortion stays low as the inlet mass flow rate varies. Overall inlet distortion, measured and described as average SAE circumferential distortion descriptor, was maintained at a value of 0.02 or less. Advantageous arrangements and orientations of the active flow control jets and the vortex generating vanes were developed using computational fluid dynamics simulations and wind tunnel experimentations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Lewis R. Owens, Brian G. Allan