Structural component with a riblet surface

Abstract

A structural component for a vehicle has a surface with a riblet structure. The riblet structure includes a plurality of grooves, including a first groove having a first longitudinal section forming a first angle with a main longitudinal direction of the structural component. The first angle is larger than 0 and the main longitudinal direction corresponds to a flow direction of a fluid along the surface of the structural component.

Claims

1. A structural component for a vehicle, the structural component comprising: a surface; and a riblet structure comprising a plurality of grooves on the surface, wherein a first groove of the plurality of grooves has a straight longitudinal main section extending in a main longitudinal direction, wherein the first groove of the plurality of grooves also has a first longitudinal section forming a first angle with the main longitudinal direction of the structural component, wherein the first longitudinal section branches off the straight longitudinal main section at a branch and extends completely straight from said branch to an endpoint of the first groove, at which endpoint the first groove has no depth, wherein the first angle is larger than 0, and wherein the main longitudinal direction extends in a flow direction of a fluid along the surface of the structural component.

2. The structural component of claim 1, wherein the first groove has a second longitudinal section forming a second angle with the main longitudinal direction of the structural component, the second angle is larger than 0 and different from the first angle.

3. The structural component of claim 1, wherein a depth of the first groove varies along a longitudinal direction of the first groove.

4. The structural component of claim 3, wherein the depth of the first groove decreases at least sectionally along the longitudinal direction of the first groove.

5. The structural component of claim 1, wherein a width of the first groove varies along a longitudinal direction of the first groove.

6. The structural component of claim 5, wherein the width of the first groove decreases at least sectionally along the longitudinal direction of the first groove.

7. The structural component of claim 1, wherein the first groove has an at least sectionally undulated course.

8. The structural component of claim 1, wherein the first groove branches out in the main longitudinal direction of the structural component.

9. The structural component of claim 1, further comprising: a second groove of the plurality of grooves, wherein the second groove extends along a longitudinal direction of the first groove, wherein a distance between the first groove and the second groove varies along the main longitudinal direction of the structural component.

10. The structural component of claim 9, wherein a depth of the second groove deviates from a depth of the first groove.

11. An aircraft comprising: a structural component, which comprises a surface; and a riblet structure comprising a plurality of grooves on the surface, wherein a first groove of the plurality of grooves has a straight longitudinal main section extending in a main longitudinal direction, wherein the first groove of the plurality of grooves also has a first longitudinal section forming a first angle with the main longitudinal direction of the structural component, wherein the first longitudinal section branches off the straight longitudinal main section at a branch and extends completely straight from said branch to an endpoint of the first groove, at which endpoint the first groove has no depth, wherein the first angle is larger than 0, and wherein the main longitudinal direction extends in a flow direction of a fluid along the surface of the structural component.

12. The aircraft of claim 11, wherein the structural component is a wing, and the main longitudinal direction of the structural component extends parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1A shows a schematic illustration of a riblet structure of a structural component according to one exemplary embodiment;

(2) FIG. 1B shows a schematic illustration of a riblet structure of a structural component according to a further exemplary embodiment;

(3) FIG. 1C shows a schematic illustration of a riblet structure of a structural component according to a further exemplary embodiment;

(4) FIG. 2 shows an aircraft according to a further exemplary embodiment;

(5) FIG. 3A shows a schematic illustration of a riblet structure of a structural component according to a further exemplary embodiment;

(6) FIG. 3B shows a schematic illustration of a riblet structure of a structural component according to a further exemplary embodiment; and

(7) FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a riblet structure of a structural component according to a further exemplary embodiment.

(8) The illustrations in the figures are schematic and not true to scale. If identical reference numerals are used, these relate to identical or similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIG. 1A shows a riblet structure on a surface of a structural component. Only a single groove is shown for the sake of better illustration, which has a main channel 110 and side channels 110A, 110B branching off therefrom in opposite directions. The main channel 110 extends in the direction of the flow direction 120 of a fluid, such as water or air, along a surface, while the side channels 110A, 110B extend transversely to the flow direction at least sectionally, and even change their course of direction.

(10) The side channels 110A, 110B are thus the first and second longitudinal sections of the groove shown in FIG. 1A, which form different angles with the flow direction 120.

(11) FIG. 1B shows a riblet structure in which three grooves 110 are shown. The three grooves extend parallel to each other and represent the channels, which is to say the recesses of the riblet structure. The undulated elevations are located between the shown grooves.

(12) The riblet structure in FIG. 1B is disposed perpendicularly to the flow direction. The depths of grooves that are disposed consecutively in the flow direction 120 can deviate from each other, as was already described in detail above.

(13) FIG. 1C shows a single wide groove 110 on a surface of a structural component. The groove 110 has an undulated course transversely to the flow direction 120. Due to the wave form, the first longitudinal section 110A and the second longitudinal section 110B from different or deviating angles with the flow direction 120.

(14) In FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, the channels between the ribs are formed by mutually adjoining circles. The longitudinal direction of a channel corresponds to the direction in which the circles are disposed next to each other.

(15) These circles symbolize how a laser pulse can be used or controlled according to a production method so as to produce the riblet structure on a workpiece surface. The laser is moved in the longitudinal direction of the channel before the next laser pulse creates a recess in the workpiece surface.

(16) FIG. 2 shows an aircraft 200 having a longitudinal axis 205 extending in the direction of flight. The course of the longitudinal axis 205 is essentially parallel to a flow direction 120 of the air in relation to the aircraft when the aircraft is flying.

(17) Two wings 210 extend away from the fuselage of the aircraft transversely to the longitudinal axis 205. The wings comprise a structural component as described above and hereafter. In particular a surface that is located at the front on the wings in the flow direction is treated so that the same has a riblet structure as described above and hereafter.

(18) FIG. 3A shows a first groove 110 having an individual longitudinal section of a first order, which branches out into two longitudinal sections 110A, 110B of a second order, which in turn branch out into longitudinal sections of an order that, in each case, is higher by a value of one. The value of the order is incremented by one at each branching point.

(19) The flow direction 120 can extend parallel to the longitudinal section of the first order.

(20) The longitudinal section 110A forms a first angle 112A with the flow direction or with the longitudinal section of the first order, which is shown as a dotted line in an extension.

(21) The longitudinal section 110B forms a second angle 112B with the flow direction or with the longitudinal section of the first order.

(22) The longitudinal section of the first order can be wider, and also deeper, than the longitudinal sections of the second order, which, in turn, can be wider and deeper than the longitudinal sections of the third order, and so forth.

(23) FIG. 3A thus shows a ramifying or branched structure of the first groove.

(24) FIG. 3B shows a riblet structure having a continuous main channel 110, from which side channels in each case branch out alternately into a first direction and into an opposite second direction on the surface of the structural component, wherein the side channels 110A, 110B form angles with the main channel 110 which deviate from each other.

(25) FIG. 4 shows a schematic isometric illustration of a riblet structure, wherein the neighboring grooves and ribs have a wave shape. For the sake of illustration, a linear longitudinal course of the grooves and ribs is shown, wherein the following comments essentially also apply to branched or ramified riblet structures.

(26) The grooves and ribs extend in the longitudinal direction 111 and in each case have a depth 114 and a width 113A, 113B. The depth is indicated as the maximum distance between neighboring grooves and ribs, while the width is indicated as the distance between the highest points of neighboring ribs.

(27) The depth of a groove can vary in the longitudinal direction 111 of a groove, and more particularly it can decrease in the direction of a flow direction of a fluid along the surface. The same applies to the width of a groove, since the width 113A measured at the front in the flow direction can be larger than the width 113B measured at the back in the flow direction.

(28) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.