Pulsed-plasma-discharge engine and its method of operation

A pulsed-plasma-discharge ramjet engine comprising:

• a first structural body shaped as a tube of varying cross-section, the first structural body having a first end and a second end and having a first longitudinal axis;
• a second structural body having another varying cross-section, and having another first end and another second end and having a second longitudinal axis, the second structural body mounted withing the first structural body and securely coupled to the first structural body, wherein the first longitudinal axis is identical to the second longitudinal axis;
• wherein the first structural body and the second structural body cooperate to form an air-intake region, an air-outlet region, and a plasma region between the air-intake region and the air-outlet region, and wherein the air-intake region is configured to dynamically compress an air entering the air-intake region at a first speed thereby generating a compressed air, and to direct the compressed air to flow into the plasma region;
• a pair of electrodes located in the plasma region and comprising a first electrode located on an Interior surface of the first structural body and a second electrode located on an exterior surface of the second structural body;
• and
• an energy storage device comprising a first terminal electrically coupled to the first electrode and a second terminal electrically coupled to the second electrode, wherein the energy storage device is configured to generate a voltage pulse causing an electrical breakdown of the compressed air flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode, thereby creating a plasma discharge that provides an energy to the compressed air, such that the compressed air flows out of the plasma region and toward the air-outlet region at a second speed higher than the first speed:
• wherein each of the first electrode and the second electrode comprises a respective first end and a respective second end, wherein the first electrode includes a first longitudinal direction, wherein the second electrode includes a second longitudinal direction, and wherein each of the first longitudinal direction of the first electrode and the second longitudinal direction of the second electrode is oriented substantially in a direction of flow of the compressed air in the plasma region, and wherein a gap between the first end of the first electrode and the first end of the second electrode is less than another gap between the second end of the first electrode and the second end of the second electrodes.

A method of operating a pulsed-plasma-discharge ramjet engine comprising (a) a first structural body having a varying cross-section, and having a first end and a second end, (b) a second structural body having another varying cross-section, and having another first end and another second end, the second structural body securely coupled to the first structural body, wherein the first structural body and the second structural body cooperate to form an air-intake region, an air-outlet region, and a plasma region between the air-intake region and the air-outlet region, (c) a pair of elongated electrodes located in the plasma region and comprising a first electrode located on a surface of the first structural body and a second electrode located on a surface of the second structural body, and (d) an energy storage device comprising a first terminal electrically coupled to the first electrode and a second terminal electrically coupled to the second electrode, the method comprising the steps of:

• delivering an air having a first speed into the air-Intake region;
• dynamically compressing the air in the air-intake region thereby generating compressed air;
• delivering the compressed air into the plasma region;
• generating a voltage pulse causing an electrical breakdown of the compressed air flowing between the first electrode and the second electrode, thereby creating a plasma discharge between the first electrode and the second electrode that travels along the pair of elongated electrodes toward the air-outlet region and provides an energy to the compressed air, such that the compressed air flows out of the plasma discharge region and into the air-outlet region at a second speed higher than the first speed;
• and
• shaping the compressed air entering the air-outlet region with the air-outlet region.

A pulsed-plasma-discharge ramjet engine comprising:

• a structural body having a varying cross-section and a first planar surface, wherein the structural body is configured to form, for an airstream flowing along the first planar surface, an air-compression zone, an air-exhaust zone, and a plasma zone between the air-compression zone and the air-exhaust zone, and
• wherein the structural body is configured to dynamically compress an air flowing at a first speed through the air-compression zone toward the plasma zone, thereby generating compressed air;
• a pair of elongated electrodes positioned in the plasma zone and comprising a first electrode located on the planar surface of the structural body and a second electrode located on the planar surface of the structural body, and
• an energy storage device comprising a first terminal electrically coupled to the first electrode and a second terminal electrically coupled to the second electrode,
• wherein the energy storage device is configured to generate a voltage pulse causing an electrical breakdown of the compressed air flowing proximate the first electrode and the second electrode, thereby creating a plasma discharge between the first electrode and the second electrode that travels along the pair of elongated electrodes toward the air-exhaust zone and provides an energy to the compressed air, such that the compressed air flows out of the plasma zone and toward into the air-exhaust zone at a second speed higher than the first speed.