Discrete sweeping jets as tools for improving the performance of the V-22

Experiments aimed at delaying flow separation through discrete jets pointing in the direction of streaming and sweeping side to side along the span were conducted on a V-22 airfoil with and without deflected trailing-edge flaps. The results indicated substantial drag reduction and lift increase at moderately low inputs of mass and momentum. Additional experiments were carried out on a semispan V-22 wing/nacelle combination, and they too provided an increase in lift-to-drag ratio L/D of approximately 60% (although active flow control was applied to the wing only). The effectiveness of the sweeping jets on reducing the download force acting on a V-22 full-span powered model in hover was also examined. A 29% reduction in download was realized using the embedded sweeping jets, corresponding approximately to a 2000 lb increase in hover lift.