Combustion systems and combustion system components for rotary ramjet engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9702562-B2
Application number	US-201214126782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 25, 2012
Priority date	Jun 16, 2011
Publication date	Jul 11, 2017
Grant date	Jul 11, 2017

Abstract

A combustion systems and components for rotary ramjet engines. An injection system, optionally stratified for ease of engine startup, provides an air and fuel mixture to a combustion chamber. An ignition system ignites the mixture. A flameholding system may be positioned for communication with the combustion chamber to force an ignited flow of the air and fuel mixture toward a center of rotation within the ramjet engine. The ramjet engine may have a diverging stator for improved exhaust efficiency. The ignition may take place in the engine air intake. Alternatively, the ignition may take place within the combustion chamber using a dual-hub electrically charged system. An impulse turbine may use recirculation of injected fuel to cool a rim-rotor and/or to reduce windage on the rim-rotor. A sealing system may reduce gas leaks from a fuel conduit into the engine air intake.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotating combustion system, comprising: a rim-rotor positioned around and adjacent to a rotating combustion chamber;
an injection system for providing a fuel mixture creating an air and fuel mixture to the combustion chamber;
an ignition system for igniting the air and fuel mixture; and
a flameholding system positioned for communication with the rotating combustion chamber and adapted to force an ignited flow of the air and fuel mixture toward a center of rotation within the rotating combustion system wherein the flameholding system comprises an at least one flameholder including a first flameholder positioned at the top of the rotating combustion chamber, a second flameholder vertically configured from the bottom to the top of the rotating combustion chamber, and a third flameholder positioned at the bottom of the rotating combustion chamber.

2. The rotating combustion system of claim 1 , wherein the rotating combustion chamber comprises curved outlet blades adapted for use at supersonic outlet speeds.

3. The rotating combustion system of claim 1 , wherein the flameholding system is adapted for high centrifugal force gravity field (g-field) combustion.

4. The rotating combustion system of claim 1 , wherein the ignition system ignites the air and fuel mixture before admission to the rotating combustion chamber.

5. A rotating combustion system, comprising: a rim-rotor positioned around and adjacent to a rotating combustion chamber;
an injection system for providing a fuel mixture creating an air and fuel mixture to the combustion chamber;
an ignition system for igniting the air and fuel mixture; and
a flameholding system positioned for communication with the rotating combustion chamber and adapted to force an ignited flow of the air and fuel mixture toward a center of rotation within the rotating combustion system wherein the flameholding system is positioned on an inlet blade of the rotating combustion chamber.

6. The rotating combustion system of claim 5 , wherein the flameholding system comprises a flameholder positioned on each of a plurality of inlet blades of the rotating combustion chamber.

7. The rotating combustion system of claim 5 , wherein the rotating combustion chamber comprises curved outlet blades adapted for use at supersonic outlet speeds.

8. The rotating combustion system of claim 5 , wherein the flameholding system is adapted for high centrifugal force gravity field (g-field) combustion.

9. The rotating combustion system of claim 5 , wherein the ignition system ignites the air and fuel mixture before admission to the rotating combustion chamber.

10. The rotating combustion system according to claim 5 further comprising a compression and an expansion within a complete thermodynamic cycle in a single rotating assembly operable as a rim-rotor engine.

11. The rotating combustion system according to claim 10 , wherein the rim-rotor engine has the air downstream of the compression and upstream of the rotating combustion chamber at subsonic speeds.

12. The rotating combustion system according to claim 11 , wherein the rim-rotor engine has the air upstream of the compression at supersonic speeds and whereby the compression creates shockwaves to decelerate the air to subsonic speeds upstream of the rotating combustion chamber at subsonic speeds.

13. The rotary ramjet engine of claim 12 , wherein the blades are further curved at their extremities to align with the rotation axis of the engine, extending perpendicularly from the rotation axis.

14. A rotating combustion system, comprising: a rim-rotor positioned around and adjacent to a rotating combustion chamber;
an infection system for providing a fuel mixture creating an air and fuel mixture to the combustion chamber;
an ignition system for igniting the air and fuel mixture; and
a flameholding system positioned for communication with the rotating combustion chamber and adapted to force an ignited flow of the air and fuel mixture toward a center of rotation within the rotating combustion system, wherein the injection system further comprises an outer radius injector for delivering fuel near an external perimeter of the rotating combustion chamber; and
an inner radius injector for delivering fuel near an internal perimeter of the rotating combustion chamber;
wherein the outer radius injector is adapted to deliver fuel during engine startup if the fuel is heavier than air and to deliver fuel after engine startup if the fuel is lighter than air; and
the inner radius injector is adapted to deliver fuel during engine startup if the fuel is lighter than air and to deliver fuel after engine startup if the fuel is heavier than air.

15. The rotating combustion system according to claim 14 , wherein a high centrifugal force gravity field (g-field) maximizes air and fuel mixing after engine startup due to buoyancy effect.

16. The rotating combustion system according to claim 14 wherein a high centrifugal force gravity field (g-field) minimizes air and fuel mixing during engine startup due to buoyancy effect.

Assignees

• Plante Jean-Sebastien
• Picard Mathieu
• Rancourt David
• Socpra Sciences Et Genie Sec

Inventors

• Plante Jean-Sebastien
• Picard Mathieu
• Rancourt David

Classifications

• F23R3/343

  Pilot flames, i.e. fuel nozzles or injectors using only a very small proportion of the total fuel to insure continuous combustion (ignition in gas-turbine plants F02C7/264; pilot flame igniters F23Q9/00) · CPC title

• F23R2900/00012

  Details of sealing devices · CPC title

• F23R3/28 Primary

  characterised by the fuel supply (burners F23D) · CPC title

• F23R3/286

  having fuel-air premixing devices (F23R3/30 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F23R3/18

  Flame stabilising means, e.g. flame holders for after-burners of jet-propulsion plants · CPC title