Ignition system for constant volume combustor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10526965-B2
Application number	US-201615142378-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	Apr 29, 2016
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

A dynamic pressure exchanger configured for a combustion process includes a seal plate and a rotor assembly. The rotor assembly is mounted for rotation relative to the seal plate about a central axis of the dynamic pressure exchanger.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dynamic pressure exchanger comprising
an inlet plate formed to include an inlet port that extends circumferentially along an arc about a central axis of the dynamic pressure exchanger,
a rotor assembly mounted for rotation relative to the inlet plate about the central axis, the rotor assembly formed to include a plurality of axially-extending combustion cells arranged adjacent one another circumferentially around the central axis and arranged to align with the inlet port at predetermined intervals when the rotor assembly rotates about the central axis,
a plurality of electrically energized terminals spaced apart from one another axially and circumferentially around the rotor assembly to ignite the plurality of spark ignitors at different circumferential locations relative to one another, the rotor assembly mounted for rotation relative to the terminals about the central axis, and
the plurality of terminals are configured to cause each of the spark ignitors in a single combustion cell to produce electric sparks independent of the other spark ignitors in the single combustion cell.

2. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 1 , wherein each spark ignitor is configured to contact one of the terminals per revolution as the rotor assembly rotates about the central axis.

3. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 1 , wherein at least three spark ignitors extend into each combustion cell.

4. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the at least two spark ignitors that extend into each combustion cell are electrically coupled together to cause each of the spark ignitors in a single combustion cell to produce electric sparks concurrently.

5. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 1 , wherein the rotor assembly includes an inner tube, an outer tube arranged circumferentially around the inner tube, and a plurality of axially-extending webs located radially between the inner and outer tubes to define the combustion cells.

6. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 5 , wherein at least one spark ignitor extends radially through the outer tube into one of the plurality of combustion cells.

7. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 5 , wherein at least one spark ignitor extends radially through the inner tube into one of the plurality of combustion cells.

8. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 1 , further comprising a timing system configured to energize the spark ignitors at predetermined intervals based on position data of the rotor assembly such that a primary circuit breaker controls ignition based on encoder information.

9. A dynamic pressure exchanger comprising
a rotor assembly mounted for rotation about a central axis of the dynamic pressure exchanger, the rotor assembly formed to define a plurality of axially-extending combustion cells arranged adjacent one another circumferentially around the central axis, and each combustion cell being arranged to conduct a combustible fluid axially through the rotor assembly, and
an ignition system configured to produce two or more axially spaced apart electric sparks in each combustion cell to cause the combustible fluid in each combustion cell to ignite in multiple locations, the ignition system including:
a plurality of spark ignitors configured to produce electric sparks when being electrically energized and at least two spark ignitors extend into each of the plurality of combustion cells, and
a plurality of electrically energized terminals spaced apart from one another axially and circumferentially around the rotor assembly to ignite the plurality of spark ignitors at different circumferential locations relative to one another, the rotor assembly mounted for rotation relative to the terminals about the central axis, and the plurality of terminals are configured to cause each of the spark ignitors in a single combustion cell to produce electric sparks independent of the other spark ignitors in the single combustion cell,

wherein the rotor assembly includes an inner tube, an outer tube arranged around the inner tube, and a plurality of axially-extending webs located radially between the inner and outer tubes to form the combustion cells, and
wherein the plurality of spark ignitors extend radially outward through the inner tube into the combustion cells.

10. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of spark ignitors extend radially through the outer tube into the combustion cells.

11. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 9 , further including an inlet plate formed to include an inlet port that extends circumferentially along an arc about the central axis of the dynamic pressure exchanger and the combustion cells are arranged to align circumferentially with the inlet port as the rotor assembly rotates about the central axis relative to the inlet plate.

12. A method of operating a dynamic pressure exchanger, the method comprising
rotating a rotor assembly about a central axis of the dynamic pressure exchanger relative to an inlet plate formed to include an inlet port, the rotor assembly formed to include a plurality of combustion cells configured to align with the inlet port as the rotor assembly rotates about the central axis,
conducting a fuel mixture into a first cell of the plurality of combustion cells through the inlet port while the first cell is aligned with the inlet port,
igniting the fuel mixture in the first cell at a plurality of ignition locations while the first cell is misaligned with the inlet port, and
timing the ignition of the fuel mixture based on position data of the rotor assembly such that a primary circuit breaker controls the ignition timing based on encoder information,
wherein igniting the fuel mixture in the first cell includes electrically charging a plurality of spark ignitors that extend into the first cell to cause each spark ignitor to produce an electric spark, electrically charging a plurality of terminals spaced apart from one another axially and circumferentially and arranged to power the plurality of spark ignitors that extend into the first cell so that the plurality of spark ignitors ignite axially in series and at different circumferential locations relative to one another based on the position data of the rotor assembly before the first cell is aligned with the inlet port,
wherein the rotor assembly includes an inner tube, an outer tube arranged circumferentially around the inner tube, and a plurality of axially-extending webs located between the inner and outer tubes to define the plurality of combustion cells and the spark ignitors extend radially inward through the outer tube toward the inner tube and radially outward through the inner tube toward the outer tube.

13. The dynamic pressure exchanger of claim 9 , further comprising a timing system configured to energize the spark ignitors at predetermined intervals based on position data of the rotor assembly such that a primary circuit breaker controls ignition based on encoder information.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Shimo Masayoshi

Classifications

• F02C7/266 Primary

  Electric (sparking plugs H01T) · CPC title

• F23R7/00

  Intermittent or explosive combustion chambers · CPC title

• F23R3/56

  Combustion chambers having rotary flame tubes · CPC title

• F04F13/00

  Pressure exchangers · CPC title

• F02C3/165 Primary

  the combustion chamber contributes to the driving force by creating reactive thrust · CPC title