Continuous detonation wave engine and aircraft provided with such an engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10895221-B2
Application number	US-201715445271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 28, 2017
Priority date	May 16, 2011
Publication date	Jan 19, 2021
Grant date	Jan 19, 2021

Abstract

The invention relates to a continuous detonation wave engine and aircraft provided with such an engine. The continuous detonation wave engine ( 1 ) operates with a detonation mixture of fuel and oxidant and includes, in particular, a detonation chamber ( 3 ) comprising an injection base ( 10 ), the length of which is defined along an open line ( 17 ), such as to form a detonation chamber ( 3 ) having an elongate form in a transverse plane, as well as an injection system ( 4 ) arranged such as to inject the fuel/oxidant so mixture into the detonation chamber ( 3 ) at at least one segment of the injection base ( 10 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Continuous detonation wave engine operating with a detonating fuel/oxidant mixture and comprising:
at least one detonation chamber ( 3 );
a plurality of injection lines ( 31 ) for injecting the detonating fuel/oxidant mixture into said detonation chamber at an upstream end ( 5 ), said detonation chamber ( 3 ) comprising an injection base ( 10 ) at said upstream end, and two walls ( 12 , 13 ) which extend on either side of this injection base to a downstream end comprising an open face; and
initiation means ( 8 ) which are disposed in said detonation chamber ( 3 ), to initiate in the detonating fuel/oxidant mixture a detonation wave ( 22 ) which is then propagated in said detonating fuel/oxidant mixture and is the cause of successive self-initiated detonation waves, so as to generate production of hot gases, escaping through the open face of the downstream end ( 9 ) of said detonation chamber ( 3 ), wherein said detonation chamber ( 3 ) comprises said injection base ( 10 ), so as to form said detonation chamber ( 3 ) having an elongate form in a transverse plane, and in that said injection lines are arranged along a propagation direction (F) of the detonation wave ( 22 ) so as to inject the detonating fuel/oxidant mixture into said detonation chamber ( 3 ) at a plurality of portions ( 20 ) of said injection base ( 10 ), the plurality of portions ( 20 ) arranged along the propagation direction (F);
wherein said detonation chamber has a bifurcation ( 27 ) at the injection base ( 10 ), allowing at least two elongate branches ( 28 , 29 ) to be created beyond said bifurcation,
wherein each of the at least two elongate branches are configured to receive a detonating mixture supplied by an injection system ( 4 ).

2. Engine according to claim 1 , wherein said injection base ( 10 ) is defined by an open curved line ( 17 ).

3. Engine according to claim 1 , wherein said injection base ( 10 ) has a rectangular shape and the detonation chamber has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

4. Engine according to claim 1 , wherein said injection lines are capable of producing the injection over a variable length.

5. Engine according to claim 1 , wherein said engine comprises at least one cooling circuit for said detonation chamber, in which cooling circuit fuel can circulate before being injected into said detonation chamber.

6. Engine according to claim 5 , wherein said cooling circuit extends along at least one side wall of said detonation chamber, over at least a portion of a length of said detonation chamber.

7. Engine according to claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two elongate branches ( 28 , 29 ) are configured to receive the detonating mixture over different lengths or time, independently of one another.

8. Engine according to claim 1 , wherein said engine further comprises an annular detonation chamber ( 33 , 36 ) and in that said detonation chamber is connected to said annular detonation chamber ( 33 , 36 ) so as to form a hybrid chamber ( 34 , 37 , 38 ).

9. Engine according to claim 8 , wherein said hybrid chamber ( 37 , 38 ) takes the form of said annular detonation chamber ( 36 ) provided with concentric extensions ( 39 , 40 ) of variable feed lengths.

10. Engine according to claim 9 , wherein said concentric extensions ( 39 ) are disposed outside said annular detonation chamber ( 36 ).

11. Engine according to claim 9 , wherein said concentric extensions ( 40 ) are disposed inside said annular detonation chamber ( 36 ).

12. Energy generation system, in particular a gas turbine, wherein said gas turbine is provided with at least one engine ( 1 ) as specified in claim 1 .

13. Propulsive system for flying craft, in particular of the ramjet, turbine engine or rocket type, wherein said propulsive system is provided with at least one engine ( 1 ) as specified in claim 1 .

14. Propulsive system according to claim 13 , wherein said propulsive system is provided with at least two engines ( 1 ), each of which comprises injection lines capable of modulating the injection.

15. Flying craft, wherein said propulsive system is provided with at least one propulsive system ( 2 ) such as that specified in claim 14 .

16. Continuous detonation wave engine operating with a detonating fuel/oxidant mixture and comprising:
at least one detonation chamber ( 3 );
a plurality of injection lines ( 31 ) for injecting the detonating fuel/oxidant mixture into said detonation chamber at an upstream end ( 5 ), said detonation chamber ( 3 ) comprising an injection base ( 10 ) at said upstream end, and two walls ( 12 , 13 ) which extend on either side of this injection base; and
initiation means ( 8 ) which are disposed in said detonation chamber ( 3 ), to initiate in the detonating fuel/oxidant mixture a detonation wave ( 22 ) which is then propagated in said detonating fuel/oxidant mixture and is the cause of successive self-initiated detonation waves, so as to generate production of hot gases, escaping through a downstream end ( 9 ) of said detonation chamber ( 3 ), wherein said detonation chamber ( 3 ) comprises said injection base ( 10 ), so as to form said detonation chamber ( 3 ) having an elongate form in a transverse plane, and in that said injection lines are arranged along a propagation direction (F) of the detonation wave ( 22 ) so as to inject the detonating fuel/oxidant mixture into said detonation chamber ( 3 ) at a plurality of portions ( 20 ) of said injection base ( 10 ), the plurality of portions ( 20 ) arranged along the propagation direction (F);
wherein said engine further comprises an annular detonation chamber ( 33 , 36 ) and in that said detonation chamber is connected to said annular detonation chamber ( 33 , 36 ) so as to form a hybrid chamber ( 34 , 37 , 38 ).

17. Continuous detonation wave engine according to claim 16 , wherein said injection base ( 10 ) is defined by an open curved line ( 17 ).

18. Continuous detonation wave engine according to claim 16 , wherein said injection base ( 10 ) has a rectangular shape and the detonation chamber has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

19. Continuous detonation wave engine according to claim 16 , wherein said engine comprises at least one cooling circuit for said detonation chamber, in which cooling circuit fuel can circulate before being injected into said detonation chamber.

20. Continuous detonation wave engine according to claim 19 , wherein said cooling circuit extends along at least one side wall of said detonation chamber, over at least a portion of a length of said detonation chamber.

Assignees

• Mdba France
• Mbda France

Inventors

• Falempin Francois

Classifications

• F02K7/08 Primary

  the jet being continuous · CPC title

• F23R7/00

  Intermittent or explosive combustion chambers · CPC title

• F02K9/62

  Combustion or thrust chambers · CPC title

• F23R3/425

  Combustion chambers comprising a tangential or helicoidal arrangement of the flame tubes · CPC title

• F02K7/00

  Plants in which the working fluid is used in a jet only, i.e. the plants not having a turbine or other engine driving a compressor or a ducted fan; Control thereof (rocket-engine plants F02K9/00) · CPC title