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US 2003/0079463 A1Published application
Turbojet with precompressor injected oxidizer
AssigneeHMX, Inc.
InventorBevin C. McKinney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A turbojet engine with improved thrust and high-altitude capabilities. Arrangements are provided for injecting liquid oxygen or other oxidizer into the turbojet engine before the compressor section. Cooling the incoming air by the liquid oxygen reduces the air volume, which allows a fixed inlet to be matched to varying flow conditions, allowing a greater mass of air to be ingested by the compressor section and results in a lower compressor outlet temperature. Increased mass flow, combined with more fuel results in higher exhaust gas temperatures and greater thrust. The addition of oxygen to the inlet air flow allows the engine to operate at higher altitudes by preventing flameout due to rarefied air.
Claims23
An aerospace vehicle comprising:
- a vehicle body having mounted therein an oxidizer tank, containing a quantity of liquid oxidizer, and a fuel tank containing a quantity of fuel;
- an engine mounted to the vehicle, the engine having a duct having an inlet, an inlet inner surface, and an outlet;
- mounted within the duct downstream of the inlet an oxidizer injector, communicating with the oxidizer tank for injecting oxidizer into air passing through the duct;
- a compressor section mounted within the duct downstream of the oxidizer injector;
- a combustor section mounted within the duct downstream of the compressor, a fuel injector in communication with the fuel tank mounted within the combustor section to provide fuel for combustion;
- a power turbine mounted within the duct downstream of the combustor section;
- a portion of the duct downstream of the power turbine forming an afterburner chamber;
- and
- a second fuel injector communicating with a fuel tank mounted within the afterburner chamber.
6 more elements
A method of thrust augmenting a jet turbine engine, comprising the steps of:
- injecting liquid oxidizer into a duct upstream of an engine compressor section, and evaporating the injected liquid oxidizer, to create oxidizer vapor, in a stream of air containing oxygen flowing into the engine compressor section;
- compressing the stream of air, and the oxidizer vapor in the engine compressor section;
- burning a portion of the oxidizer vapor, and oxygen in the air with an oxidizable fuel, to create an oxidizer rich combustion stream within a combustion chamber downstream of the engine compressor section;
- extracting energy from the oxidizer rich combustion stream with a power turbine downstream of the combustion chamber, and driving the compressor section with the output of the power turbine;
- afterburning the oxidizer rich combustion stream with additional oxidizable fuel, to create an exhaust gas stream in an afterburner chamber downstream of the power turbine;
- and
- accelerating the exhaust gas stream through a nozzle to develop thrust.
4 more elements
A method of matching the inlet flow of air in a jet turbine engine to the amount of air which a jet engine compressor section can accept, comprising the steps of:
- injecting liquid oxidizer upstream of an engine compressor section into a stream of air which has entered a duct leading to the engine compressor section, and controlling the amount of liquid oxidizer injected so that evaporating the injected liquid oxidizer, to create oxidizer vapor, in the stream of air reduces the volume of the air to match the capabilities of the engine compressor section, to pass the air stream and the created oxidizer vapor;
- compressing the stream of air and the oxidizer vapor in the engine compressor section;
- burning a portion of the oxidizer vapor, and oxygen in the air with an oxidizable fuel to create an oxidizer rich combustion stream within a combustion chamber downstream of the engine compressor section;
- extracting energy from the oxidizer rich combustion stream, with a power turbine downstream of the combustion chamber, and driving the compressor section with the output of the power turbine;
- afterburning the oxidizer rich combustion stream with additional oxidizable fuel, to create an exhaust gas stream in an afterburner chamber downstream of the power turbine;
- and
- accelerating the exhaust gas stream through a nozzle to develop thrust.
4 more elements
A method of increasing the altitude performance of a jet turbine engine comprising the steps of:
- injecting a selected quantity of liquid oxidizer into a duct upstream of an engine compressor section, and evaporating the injected liquid oxidizer, to create oxidizer vapor, in a stream of air, containing oxygen, flowing into the engine compressor section;
- compressing the stream of air, and the oxidizer vapor in the engine compressor section;
- burning a portion of the oxidizer vapor and oxygen in the air with an oxidizable fuel, to create a combustion stream within a combustion chamber, downstream of the engine compressor section, wherein the selected quantity of liquid oxidizer is chosen to provide sufficient oxidizer vapor and oxygen to sustain stable combustion within the combustion chamber;
- extracting energy from the combustion stream with a power turbine downstream of the combustion chamber, and driving the compressor section with the output of the power turbine;
- and
- accelerating the combustion stream through a nozzle to develop thrust.
3 more elements
A method of maximizing flights speed of a jet turbine engine comprising the steps of:
- injecting a selected quantity of liquid oxidizer into a duct upstream of an engine compressor section, and evaporating the injected liquid oxidizer, to create oxidizer vapor in a stream of air, containing oxygen, flowing into the engine compressor section;
- compressing the stream of air and the oxidizer vapor in the engine compressor section wherein the selected quantity of liquid oxidizer is chosen to provide sufficient cooling to prevent overheating of the compressor section;
- burning a portion of the oxidizer vapor and oxygen in the air with an oxidizable fuel, to create a combustion stream within a combustion chamber, downstream of the engine compressor section;
- extracting energy from the oxidizer rich combustion stream, with a power turbine downstream of the combustion chamber, and driving the compressor section with the output of the power turbine;
- afterburning the oxidizer rich combustion stream with additional oxidizable fuel, to create an exhaust gas stream in an afterburner chamber downstream of the power turbine;
- accelerating the exhaust gas stream through a nozzle to develop thrust.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.