Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DELAH (The Delft Laminar Hump: A novel local surface geometry for passive laminarization of aircraft wings)
Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30
This Proof of Concept (PoC) project introduces a new and innovative way to reduce aerodynamic drag on aircraft wings. In particular, it focuses on swept wings, which are the type most commonly used on today’s passenger jet airplanes. Swept wings are designed to perform efficiently at high, near-supersonic speeds, but they also face a major challenge: they create the so-called Crossflow Instabilities (CFI). These small disturbances in the airflow can grow and cause the smooth (laminar) airflow over the wing to turn turbulent. When this happens, the aircraft experiences more drag, meaning it needs more fuel to maintain speed. In fact, this transition from laminar to turbulent flow can account for nearly 40% of an aircraft’s total aerodynamic drag. Finding a way to keep the airflow smooth for longer could therefore have a transformative effect on fuel efficiency and sustainability in aviation.
The project is based on a breakthrough discovery made by the Principal Investigator (PI) and his research team. Their innovation, called the Delft Laminar Hump (or simply, “the Hump”), has shown great potential for delaying the onset of turbulence on swept wings. The Hump is a small, carefully shaped modification to the surface of the wing — a smooth, local protrusion that slightly alters the wing’s shape. While conventional aircraft wings are designed to be as smooth and uniform as possible, the Hump intentionally introduces a gentle change in geometry. This subtle shape adjustment influences how the air moves across the surface, reducing the strength of the Crossflow Instabilities that lead to turbulence. As a result, a larger portion of the wing can remain covered by laminar flow, which in turn reduces drag and improves overall aerodynamic efficiency. The concept is simple in appearance but scientifically sophisticated in effect, combining several aerodynamic mechanisms such as boundary layer modification and instability control.
Several technological challenges must still be addressed before the Hump can be fully applied in real-world aircraft. The purpose of this PoC project is to bridge that gap — The project has pursued several key objectives:
- Demonstration and testing: Validate the performance of the Hump in near-flight conditions and demonstrate that it can enable passive laminarization — maintaining smooth airflow without the need for active control systems.
- Environmental resilience: Study how real-world factors, such as debris, insect impacts, or surface contamination, may affect the performance of the Hump and find ways to mitigate these effects.
- Intellectual property and patenting: Strengthen the protection of the Hump’s intellectual property and extend it into an International patent application, ensuring the innovation is safeguarded for future development.
- Business development: Explore pathways for technology transfer, industrial partnerships, and licensing, to bring the Hump concept closer to market adoption.
- Roadmap for future development: Create a "Technology Development Roadmap" outlining the steps required to advance from proof-of-concept to a scalable technology suitable for integration in future aircraft designs.
Through these activities, the project aims to demonstrate that the Delft Laminar Hump could become a key enabler of greener, more energy-efficient aviation. By reducing aerodynamic drag and fuel consumption, this innovation supports Europe’s broader goals for sustainable air transport and climate-friendly technology development.
The project is based on a breakthrough discovery made by the Principal Investigator (PI) and his research team. Their innovation, called the Delft Laminar Hump (or simply, “the Hump”), has shown great potential for delaying the onset of turbulence on swept wings. The Hump is a small, carefully shaped modification to the surface of the wing — a smooth, local protrusion that slightly alters the wing’s shape. While conventional aircraft wings are designed to be as smooth and uniform as possible, the Hump intentionally introduces a gentle change in geometry. This subtle shape adjustment influences how the air moves across the surface, reducing the strength of the Crossflow Instabilities that lead to turbulence. As a result, a larger portion of the wing can remain covered by laminar flow, which in turn reduces drag and improves overall aerodynamic efficiency. The concept is simple in appearance but scientifically sophisticated in effect, combining several aerodynamic mechanisms such as boundary layer modification and instability control.
Several technological challenges must still be addressed before the Hump can be fully applied in real-world aircraft. The purpose of this PoC project is to bridge that gap — The project has pursued several key objectives:
- Demonstration and testing: Validate the performance of the Hump in near-flight conditions and demonstrate that it can enable passive laminarization — maintaining smooth airflow without the need for active control systems.
- Environmental resilience: Study how real-world factors, such as debris, insect impacts, or surface contamination, may affect the performance of the Hump and find ways to mitigate these effects.
- Intellectual property and patenting: Strengthen the protection of the Hump’s intellectual property and extend it into an International patent application, ensuring the innovation is safeguarded for future development.
- Business development: Explore pathways for technology transfer, industrial partnerships, and licensing, to bring the Hump concept closer to market adoption.
- Roadmap for future development: Create a "Technology Development Roadmap" outlining the steps required to advance from proof-of-concept to a scalable technology suitable for integration in future aircraft designs.
Through these activities, the project aims to demonstrate that the Delft Laminar Hump could become a key enabler of greener, more energy-efficient aviation. By reducing aerodynamic drag and fuel consumption, this innovation supports Europe’s broader goals for sustainable air transport and climate-friendly technology development.
The DeLaH project aimed to turn the Delft Laminar Hump from a scientific discovery into a viable green aviation technology by combining technical research with innovation development. The Principal Investigator’s team led the scientific work, supported by the Innovation and Impact Centre (IIC) of the HI. Within the IIC, the Intellectual Property Manager handles patent matters, while Delft Enterprises (DE) drives commercialization and business development. Together, they ensure that DeLaH is both scientifically sound and strategically positioned for real-world application.
A key objective is testing passive laminarization under near-flight conditions. Lab studies showed the Hump could delay turbulence and sustain smooth airflow, but under simplified settings. Within the project, a new motorised prototype of the Hump was designed and integrated in TU Delft’s Low Turbulence Tunnel. This specialized wing model will be used to evaluate performance across Reynolds numbers from 2–10 million and angles of attack between 0° and –5°, confirming aerodynamic benefits under realistic conditions.
The project also examined how environmental factors—such as surface roughness, turbulence, and pressure gradients—affect performance. Using advanced wind tunnel setups, the team has tested how these variables interact with the Hump geometry and influence the laminar-to-turbulent transition, guiding future design refinements for robustness in real-world flight.
Securing intellectual property was another priority of the project. A Dutch patent filed in January 2023 was successfully granted, covering both integrated and add-on applications. Building on this, new international patents filed in 2025 broaden protection to include new configurations and manufacturing adaptations, supporting future collaboration and commercialization.
Finally, DeLaH emphasizes business development and technology transfer. Working with Delft Enterprises, the team has, explored a potential spin-off, and engaged with aerospace partners to assess industrial interest. A feasibility study with Erasmus University provided market and economic insights. Together, these efforts advance the Hump concept toward commercial readiness and more sustainable aviation.
A key objective is testing passive laminarization under near-flight conditions. Lab studies showed the Hump could delay turbulence and sustain smooth airflow, but under simplified settings. Within the project, a new motorised prototype of the Hump was designed and integrated in TU Delft’s Low Turbulence Tunnel. This specialized wing model will be used to evaluate performance across Reynolds numbers from 2–10 million and angles of attack between 0° and –5°, confirming aerodynamic benefits under realistic conditions.
The project also examined how environmental factors—such as surface roughness, turbulence, and pressure gradients—affect performance. Using advanced wind tunnel setups, the team has tested how these variables interact with the Hump geometry and influence the laminar-to-turbulent transition, guiding future design refinements for robustness in real-world flight.
Securing intellectual property was another priority of the project. A Dutch patent filed in January 2023 was successfully granted, covering both integrated and add-on applications. Building on this, new international patents filed in 2025 broaden protection to include new configurations and manufacturing adaptations, supporting future collaboration and commercialization.
Finally, DeLaH emphasizes business development and technology transfer. Working with Delft Enterprises, the team has, explored a potential spin-off, and engaged with aerospace partners to assess industrial interest. A feasibility study with Erasmus University provided market and economic insights. Together, these efforts advance the Hump concept toward commercial readiness and more sustainable aviation.
Potential and further needs for scientific impact: The Hump is a localised wing shape modification and works by a local manipulation of the CFI, enabling laminarization without imposing further constraints on the design of the wing. In addition, the Hump is purely passive and stationary, greatly exemplifying its simplicity, reliability, and cost efficiency. Most importantly, the Hump concept can be applied to both legacy aircraft as an add-on device, and future aircraft as a design feature. Its mild, smooth, and sizable shape can be manufactured with conventional moulding and machining methods, entailing virtually no extra cost or complexity compared to a state-of-the-art smooth wing. The project results identified the potential of the concept to work at realistic flight conditions as well as its robustness to environmental factors. However key needs for further improvement have been identified, particularly toward a flight demonstrator activity. The latter will require extensive financial and time resources and can only be realistically achieved with the support of a large OEM.
Potential and further needs for technological uptake: The project activities were successful in setting the initial uptake steps for the technology. Specifically IPR protection was extended internationally and feasibility/business studies identified the need and potential for this technology. Further needs in this area are the engagement of kye industrial stakeholders as well as the definition of a critical path towards further demonstration (aligned to the previous scientific needs).
Potential and further needs for technological uptake: The project activities were successful in setting the initial uptake steps for the technology. Specifically IPR protection was extended internationally and feasibility/business studies identified the need and potential for this technology. Further needs in this area are the engagement of kye industrial stakeholders as well as the definition of a critical path towards further demonstration (aligned to the previous scientific needs).