Waggling wings could cut aircraft drag and emissions 20%
Wings which redirect air to waggle sideways could cut airline fuel bills by 20% according to research funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Airbus. The new approach, which promises to dramatically reduce mid-flight drag, uses tiny air powered jets which redirect the air, making it flow sideways back and forth over the wing.
The jets work by the Helmholtz resonance principle – when air is forced into a cavity the pressure increases, which forces air out and sucks it back in again, causing an oscillation – the same phenomenon that happens when blowing over a bottle.
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…”
The new micro-jet system being developed by Dr Lockerby and his colleagues could reduce skin friction drag by up to 40%. If successful this technology could also have a major impact on the aerodynamic design and fuel consumptions of cars, boats and trains.
Glad he’s already thinking about cars and trains. It was the first thing that came to mind.
Improving aerodynamics is effective in automobile engineering at surprisingly low speeds. BTW – I don’t care if this makes our four-wheeled friends a bit uglier. Saving money and fuel – and the environment – ain’t ever ugly to me.
Holler at your Congress-critter to support Bernie Sanders' bill to 
This sounds like we’ll all be flying in planes with dorsal surfaces with textures like golf ball dimples.
I’d be tempted to beat on a test car with a 10-lb. ball peen hammer – if I had a handy wind tunnel.
moss
May 30, 2009 at 10:31 pm
I know precious little about this, but does anyone know if there is a reduction in lift?
wok3
May 31, 2009 at 2:47 am
I discussed this with a couple of pilots and as long as the “faster” air flow is confined to the upper surface of the wings, lift actually increases with speed.
moss
May 31, 2009 at 6:06 am
TY Moss
wok3
June 1, 2009 at 5:25 am
I’m terribly ignorant of science but this sure sounds like the same principle as the fictional caterpillar drive that silently drove Red October in the movie, The Hunt For Red October.
Is this life imitating art, except in the air instead of under the water or is it totally different?
Cinaedh
May 31, 2009 at 7:15 am