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US 11,821,367 B2Granted
Engine producing thrust using an induction heating assembly to energize the fuel
AssigneeOqab Dietrich Induction Inc.
InventorsHaroon B. Oqab, George B. Dietrich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example engine for producing thrust includes: a fuel supply to supply a fuel; a chamber fluidly coupled to the fuel supply to receive the fuel; an induction heating assembly operatively coupled to the chamber to inductively energize the fuel in the chamber; and an exhaust nozzle coupled to the chamber to receive energized fuel from the chamber to produce thrust.
Claims23
An engine comprising:
- a fuel supply to supply a fuel, wherein the fuel is an electrically conducting fuel, including a reactive metal compound, wherein the fuel includes a micro/nano-thermite;
- a chamber fluidly coupled to the fuel supply to receive the fuel;
- an induction heating assembly operatively coupled to the chamber to inductively energize the fuel in the chamber;
- wherein the induction heating assembly includes a coil and a power supplying circuit configured to pass a current through the coil, wherein the power supplying circuit is an electronic oscillator or other suitable circuitry for passing a high frequency alternating current through the coil to induce a magnetic field;
- and
- wherein the power supplying circuit is further configured to vary the current passing through the coil, thereby varying the magnetic field, wherein the varying magnetic field induces eddy currents in nearby conductors, and in particular, in the fuel, wherein the eddy currents, in turn, flow through the resistance of the fuel to energize the fuel;
- and
- an exhaust nozzle coupled to the chamber to receive energized fuel from the chamber to produce thrust.
5 more elements
A method in an induction engine, the method comprising:
- receiving, in a chamber, a fuel, wherein the fuel is an electrically conducting fuel, including a reactive metal compound, wherein the fuel includes a micro/nano-thermite;
- inductively energizing the fuel using an induction heating assembly, wherein the induction heating assembly includes a coil and a power supplying circuit configured to pass a current through the coil, wherein the power supplying circuit is an electronic oscillator or other suitable circuitry for passing a high frequency alternating current through the coil to induce a magnetic field;
- and
- wherein the power supplying circuit is further configured to vary the current passing through the coil, thereby varying the magnetic field, wherein the varying magnetic field induces eddy currents in nearby conductors, and in particular, in the fuel, wherein the eddy currents, in turn, flow through the resistance of the fuel to energize the fuel;
- and
- at an exhaust nozzle of the engine, producing thrust from the energized fuel.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.