Pulsed detonation engines manufactured from materials having low thermal stability
AssigneesScience Applications International Corporation, U. S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
InventorsShmuel Eidelman, Dimitrios Lianos
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Abstract
Pulsed detonation engines (PDEs), or various components thereof, such as the detonation chamber and/or nozzle, can be economically constructed from materials having low thermal stability, such as plastics, composites, and light metals. During operation, the intermittent injection and detonation of reactants produces a motive force (e.g., thrust) over relatively short intervals useful in orbit control and the like. The relatively short intervals of operation prevent temperatures of the PDE components from reaching temperatures that would result in their dimensional failure.
Claims24
A detonation chamber adapted for use with a pulsed detonation engine, wherein said detonation chamber is constructed from a material having low thermal stability.
A nozzle adapted for attachment to a pulsed detonation engine, wherein said nozzle is constructed from a material having low thermal stability.
A pulsed detonation engine comprising a detonation chamber and a nozzle, wherein at least one of said detonation chamber and said nozzle is constructed from a material having low thermal stability.
A thrust mechanism comprising at least two pulsed detonation engines and a control unit for alternatively actuating said at least two pulsed detonation engines, wherein each pulsed detonation engine is constructed from a material having low thermal stability.
A method of generating thrust comprising actuating a first pulsed detonation engine for a first interval of operation, wherein said first pulsed detonation engine is constructed from a first material having low thermal stability.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.