Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Structures for Laminar Flow Control

Laminar flow control systems promise substantial emission reductions by minimising the viscous drag of transport aircraft. While boundary-layer suction has been proven in wind tunnel and flight tests, no system effectively improving the energy efficiency of transport aircraft is available. This doctoral thesis develops an additively manufacturable suction panel for laminar flow control, reducing the technology's complexity into one integral component decoupled from the aircraft's main structure. The benefit of additive manufacturing is the integration of complex aerodynamic requirements, such as surface curvature and suction rate control, into the suction panel's design.