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US 12,510,249 B2Granted
Auxiliary power unit with pulse detonation combustion
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorDaniel Alecu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An accessory power unit assembly includes a combustor assembly that includes a pulse detonation tube that defines a curved passage between an inlet that receives a compressed airflow and a discharge end. The detonation tube operates as a resonant cavity to sustain a standing pressure wave. Fuel injected into the pulse detonation tube is timed to coincide with movement of a standing wave toward a discharge end. The standing wave provides an increase in pressure of an output exhaust gas driving the turbine without a corresponding increase in load.
Claims16
An accessory power unit assembly comprising:
- a compressor coupled to an engine shaft disposed about an engine axis;
- a combustor assembly configured to generate an exhaust gas flow, the combustor assembly including at least one fixed detonation tube defining a curved passage between an inlet receiving a compressed airflow and a discharge end, wherein the inlet to the curved passage is disposed radially outward of the discharge end and the combustor assembly further includes at least one fuel injector configured to inject fuel into the inlet, wherein the at least one fixed detonation tube is configured to generate a standing pressure wave between the inlet and the discharge end and the curved passage has a length along a curvature that is ½ a wavelength of the standing pressure wave;
- a differential pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure difference within the inlet and a downstream location, wherein the fuel injector is configured to inject fuel through the inlet based on the pressure difference and the discharge end and the fuel injector is configured to inject fuel through the inlet in response to a pressure difference between the inlet and the downstream location indicating a momentary reversal of the standing pressure wave;
- an igniter for igniting a fuel air mixture within the detonation tube near the discharge end;
- and
- a turbine coupled to the engine shaft configured to rotate in response to the exhaust gas flow communicated from the combustor assembly.
3 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a compressor coupled to an engine shaft disposed about an engine axis;
- a diffuser receiving compressed airflow from the compressor;
- a distribution manifold receiving the compressed airflow from the diffuser;
- a combustor assembly including:
- at least three detonation tubes, wherein each of the detonation tubes define a curved passage between an inlet and a discharge end, wherein the inlet includes an outer rounded cross-section and an inner converging/diverging venturi and is orientated transverse to an inlet flow of air such that air flows across the inlet, wherein each of the three detonation tubes comprise an inner diameter and a curve of each of the detonation tubes between the inlet and the discharge end is at a radius that is between two and five times the inner diameter for minimizing pressure losses and generating a secondary flow that is transverse to a main flow direction through the curved passage;
- a fuel injector configured to inject fuel into the inlet;
- and
- an igniter for igniting a fuel air mixture within the detonation tube near the discharge end;
- and
- a turbine coupled to the engine shaft configured to rotate in response to an exhaust gas flow communicated from the combustor assembly.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.