USOO5797563A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,797,563 Blackburn et al. 45) Date of Patent: *Aug. 25, 1998 AERODYNAMIC AND HYDRODYNAMC 3.162,398 12/1964 Clauser et al. ... ... 24.4/205 EFFICIENCY OF A WEHICLE IN MOTION 3.29,851 1/965 Kidwell ....... ... 322/2 R Ct., Highlands Ranch. Colo. 80126; 4320,300 3/1982 Mariela Barry M. Warmkessel. 767 Chopin swew Dr. Sunnyvale. Calif. 94087: Sonja M. an Kawamoto, 6850 Glenview Dr. San Primary Examiner-Andres Kashnikow Jose, Calif. 95120 Assistant Examiner Tien Dinh Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Chris Papageorge * Notice: The term of this patent shall not extend 57 ABSTRACT beyond the expiration date of Pat. No. 5,791,599. The system includes radiation generation and transmission components which radiate tuned microwave electromag 21) Appl. No.: 625,914 netic energy outwardly from a vehicle through an antenna into a fluid medium through which the vehicle is moving. 22 Filed: Apr. 1, 1996 The microwave radiation is at the frequency of harmonic w8 resonance electromagnetic excitation of the molecules of the Related U.S. Application Data medium which produces efficient heating and ionizing of the fluid resulting in a reduction of the mass density thereof. 63 Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 504,056, Jul. 18, 1995. This reduction decreases the drag forces acting on the (51 int.C. ............ B64C 1/38 vehicle resulting in a greatly enhanced aerodynamic and/or 52 U.S. Cl. .......................... 244/130; 32212A; 244204; hydrodynamic efficiency and also decreases the intensity of 244/205 the shock waves (which often lead to sonic booms). An 58) Field of Search ................................ 244/158 R, 130, aircraft's dramatically higher speed in the surrounding rar 244f134 R. 134 D, 204, 205, 158A, 163, efied medium can make it appear to be travelling at "super 160; 60/39.07: 219/764, 748,749; 322/2A, sonic" speeds. The system also includes a set of coiled wires 2 R and magnetic plates producing magnetic fields proximal to the vehicle and oriented to deflect heated molecules (ionized 56 References Cited by the microwave heating) away from the vehicle thereby preventing or reducing contact of the heated molecules with U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS the vehicle's outer surfaces and heating thereof. 100 H2O PEAK 1st PEAK GASEOUS H2O 10 1OO 1 OOO FIG. 1 FREGUENCY GHz OUTPUT WAVEGUDE AND WINDOW BEAM COLLECTOR AREA GUN MAGNET ELECTRON GUN O ti N OO Sheet 11 of 14 U.S. Patent SYSTEM FOR INCREASING THE AERODYNAMIC AND HYDRODYNAMC EFFICIENCY OF A WEHICLE IN MOTION This application is a continuation-in-part of patent appli cation Ser. No. 08/504.056 entitled A System for Increasing the Aerodynamic and Hydrodynamic Efficiency of a Vehicle in Motion" filed Jul. 18, 1995 by applicants herein, Ronald F. Blackburn and Barry M. Warmkessel. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to systems for facilitating the motion of a vehicle through a fluid medium and, more particularly, to systems for facilitating the motion of aircraft through the atmosphere in order to significantly reduce the amount of energy required to propel the aircraft, signficantly increase the maximum speed of the aircraft and substantially reduce the intensity and incidence of shockwaves associated with the motion. The well known sonic boom is a significant problem presented by aircraft capable of flying at supersonic speeds. The sonic boom is so annoying and so often damaging to homes, buildings and other property that military aircraft have been required to attain supersonic speeds over large bodies of water or sparsely populated areas in order to minimize these undesired effects. With the increasing preva lence and viability of commercial supersonic flight resulting from government research and development efforts and the increasing viability of commercial aircraft designed for speeds well in excess of supersonic speeds, the sonic boom effects have become more problematic. The sonic waves generated by supersonic flight are also detrimental to the practicality of such supersonic flight because they result in an aerodynamic drag effect which retards the velocity of the aircraft thereby requiring more energy to propel it. For this reason and because frictional forces resisting movement of an aircraft increase with the square of the aircraft's velocity, high velocity aircraft as well as other types of high velocity vehicles typically entail higher fuel expenditures and concomitantly produce higher levels of pollution as well as high consumption of fuel often made from nonrenewable natural resources. This high pol lution and high fuel consumption is a serious economic and environmental problem. Solutions to this problem have been sought by designing engines that have higher fuel efficien cies and lower pollutant emissions. These design efforts have successfully produced engines that are very efficient. Unfortunately, the proliferation of motorized vehicles of many sorts has nevertheless resulted in an increase in global pollution and higher energy consumption. In addition, the pollution reduction and energy efficiency augmentation sys tems for conventional engines have become so effective that further improvements on systems used on conventional engines is not likely to produce substantial improvements. Consequently, many engineers have sought to reduce pol lution and increase the energy efficiency of conventional vehicles by seeking to make modifications in other areas. Ships and submarines are notoriously slow moving. Increases in the cruising speeds of surface ships are pro bibitively expensive to attain, and this is the reason most commercial shipping operates at a relatively slow speed of approximately twenty knots. Submarines, lacking the bow wave common to surface ships can travel faster, but sub stantial power sources are needed for a modest advantage over the speeds of surface ships. What's worse, there is tremendous acoustical vibration associated with these high speeds, which causes the submarine to lose its stealthy advantage normally afforded by the ocean's depths. Torpe does can move faster than submarines, but they consume tremendous amounts of the limited non-nuclear fuels avail able along with the disadvantage of the accompanying warning from their acoustical signature that the weapon has been fired. Many have sought solutions to the aerodynamic applica tions of these problems by developing systems which reduce the mass density of the medium through which a vehicle is moving and thereby reduce the drag forces acting on the vehicle while it is in motion. Some of these systems have specifically sought to reduce the mass density of the atmo sphere through which aircraft are traveling and thereby reduce aerodynamic drag acting on the aircraft. This desired goal would not only provide increased fuel efficiency but also enable the aircraft to achieve higher maximum attain able speeds. As an additional benefit, the intensity and incidence of shock waves associated with the aircraft would be reduced resulting in elimination of or reduction of the intensity of a sonic boom otherwise produced when the aircraft attains supersonic speeds. Some prior art methods and devices for reducing the mass density of the atmosphere through which an aircraft is flying have utilized incendiary compounds to heat the air and thereby reduce the mass density thereof. Two examples of such methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4917,335 to Tidman and U.S. Pat. No. 3,620,484 to Schoppe. The Tidman method essentially generates and maintains com bustion of a flammable compound which is ejected from the aircraft directly into the atmosphere immediately in front of the aircraft. The Schoppe method utilizes a mechanical flame thrower to also produce combustion directly in front of the aircraft but additionally uses a blunt nosed body to compress the air prior to the combustion for enhanced efficiency thereof. Thus, in both of these methods, the aircraft consequently travels through a fireball of reduced mass density which reduces aerodynamic drag and the incidence and severity of sonic boom. However, a primary disadvantage of such methods is that the chemical reaction as well as the ejection of the combustible mass may not be fast enough to rarefy the atmosphere in front of an aircraft traveling at supersonic speeds. Another important disadvan tage of such methods is that the fireball through which the aircraft is moving transfers a substantial amount of heat directly to the aircraft surfaces resulting in excessive heating of the aircraft; this undesired heating of the aircraft can result in melting, weakening, failure or malfunction under stress of structural components as well as of electronic or other heat sensitive components of the aircraft. In addition, the required speed of combustion may result in generally incomplete combustion and thereby wasting of fuel and production of inordinate amounts of pollutants. Moreover. the requirement of a blunt body precludes the Schoppe system from being used to reduce the density of the atmo sphere in front of the entire aircraft or, more specifically, in front of wing leading edges as well as other portions thereof. Other prior art systems designed to reduce aerodynamic drag and sonic waves rarefy the atmosphere in front of the aircraft by moving air molecules rearwardly from the lead ing edges of the aircraft. An example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,446.464 to Donald. The Donald apparatus utilizes electrodes placed both at the leading edges and rearward of the leading edges. Different electrical poten tials applied to the electrodes produce an electrical field which moves the air molecules rearwardly from the leading edges thereby reducing the buildup of air pressure in front of the leading edges. However, a primary shortcoming of the Donald apparatus is that it does not directly move air molecules which are in front of the leading edges and thus is of limited effectiveness in reducing aerodynamic drag and Sonic boom. Since the 1940's some designers of aircraft have sought to reduce aerodynamic drag by radioactive excitation of the air molecules proximal to or adjacent to the aircraft. Early designs have utilized radioactive coatings on the skins of the aircraft to ionize the air molecules at the boundary layer at the aircraft fluid-solid interface thereby inducing repelling or attractive forces on these ions and for to induce a vibrational or rotational excited state in the air molecules thereby altering their viscosity. A technologically improved design utilizing such a concept is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3.510.094 to Clark in which the magnitude and number of alpha and beta particle emissions from the radioactive layer on the aircraft skin are controlled. However, a primary disadvantage of these types of designs is that they do not have a high degree of energy efficiency in reducing the density of the air in front of the aircraft where it is most needed because the emissions radiate outwardly in all direc tions. Moreover, the radioactive emissions can interfere with aircraft computer, radio and radar systems as well as being potentially dangerous to personnel within the aircraft or in the vicinity of the aircraft. Still other prior art systems utilize laser beam radiation to heat the air passing through the beam and thereby rarefy the air through which the aircraft is moving. An example of such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5.263,661 to Riley. The Riley device uses a laser radiating a beam along the leading edge of an aircraft wing to the tip. The air passing through the beam as the aircraft flies through the atmosphere is heated and rarified thereby compressing more slowly as a result of the aircraft's motion than it normally would and creating a lower mass density thereof which is less favorable to development of a sonic boom. However, a primary disadvantage of such a system is that it has a high power requirement because laser radiation does not efficiently produce a high degree of heat energy in the air molecules. Moreover, as with the Schoppe system, this system also may produce excessive heating of the skin of the aircraft resulting in malfunction or failure of components of the aircraft. Consequently, what is needed is a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium in the path of flight or movement of the aircraft or other type of vehicle as well as adjacent to the skin surfaces thereof in order to maximize reduction of the forces of friction and other drag forces acting on the aircraft during flight or on another type of vehicle during movement through another type of fluid medium. What is also needed is a system for reducing the mass density of the air proximal the aircraft (or of another type of fluid medium proximal another type of vehicle) which is able to provide such reduction of mass density very quickly and with a relatively high degree of energy effi ciency. What is also needed is such a system which does not produce excessive heating of the vehicle. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium in front of a vehicle moving through the medium in order to reduce drag forces and sonic waves produced by the motion. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium adjacent to and proximal to lateral and rearward portions of a vehicle moving through a fluid medium in order to reduce drag forces and sonic waves produced by the motion. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving which achieves the mass density reduction quickly and effectively. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving which is relatively safe. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving which is energy efficient. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving which entails minimal interference with vehicle electronic components. It is also another object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving which is effective at both subsonic and supersonic speeds. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving which provides heat energy transfer with vehicle engine systems for enhanced energy and power efficiency. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving which provides a high degree of efficiency in producing a high degree of mass density reduction of the fluid medium. It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving which does not produce excessive heating of the vehicle's outer surfaces. Basically, the aerodynamic and hydrodynamic efficiency augmentation system of the present invention achieves its goal of reducing the mass density of the fluid medium through which a vehicle is moving by heating and ionizing the fluid medium proximal to the vehicle to a high tempera ture. The heating and ionizing is accomplished via radiation of tuned electromagnetic power outwardly from the vehicle into the fluid medium. The electromagnetic radiation is within the microwave range in order to maximize transfer of electromagnetic energy received by the fluid medium mol ecules into heat energy and to product the desired ion generation. In addition, the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation is at the harmonic resonance frequency of electro magnetic excitation of the particular type of molecules of which the medium is composed. Radiation at the harmonic resonance frequency maximizes the power transfer effi ciency of the heating and ionizing of the fluid medium provided by the system of the invention. The system of the present invention is particularly well suited for both subsonic and supersonic aircraft for which the effects of aerodynamic drag and sonic wave production are more pronounced. The system of the invention is also very suitable for Force Projection Vehicles type aircraft which utilize wing-in-ground effect airfoils generating almost double the normal lift capability because of a com bination of ground effect and downwardly projecting airfoils (at the wing tips) that confine inrushing air. Force Projection Vehicles normally cruise twenty feet above the sea over which they are most efficient but can also fly above land although at a higher altitude. Their low altitude capability renders them very advantageous in military operations because they are relatively invisible to radar at such low altitude flight. However, Force Projection Vehicles, although also advantageous because effective and efficient in trans port of large and heavy cargo, are currently limited to flight at relatively slow speeds. By substantially increasing maxi mum speed capability, the aerodynamic efficiency augmen tation system can overcome this important shortcoming of Force Projection Vehicles. In addition. the system of the invention is also well suited for transatmospheric vehicles of many types. For these and similar types of applications in which the vehicle is moving through the atmosphere, the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation is preferably at the harmonic resonance frequency of electromagnetic exci tation i.e. electromagnetic absorption peak of