Solid boron fuel burner for ramjet

A solid boron fuel burning ramjet engine, comprising, a combustion chamber;

• said combustion chamber having an air inlet at one end and an exit nozzle at the other end;
• a burner for powdered solid boron fuel within said combustion chamber;
• said burner having a substantially cylindrical tubular member with a refractory inner wall;
• said tubular member having a length to diameter ratio of at least 2.5 to 1;
• a fuel mill;
• said fuel mill having a circular chamber and a wire brush positioned within said chamber, substantially filling said chamber;
• means for rotating said brush at a predetermined speed;
• means for continuously supplying solid boron fuel pellets to the fuel mill;
• said means for continuously supplying solid boron fuel pellets to said fuel mill including means for positioning a fuel pellet against the periphery of said wire brush;
• means for advancing pellets toward the wire brush at a predetermined rate;
• a fuel outlet positioned adjacent the periphery of said brush at a position angularly displaced from said pellet positioning means;
• means, connected to said fuel outlet, for supplying powdered solid boron fuel from the fuel mill to said burner;
• means for providing a gas flow through said circular chamber around said wire brush to said outlet and then to the burner to carry the fuel from the fuel mill to the burner;
• means for supplying air from said air inlet to said burner;
• said burner being spaced from the wall of said combustion chamber for providing a secondary air flow path around the burner to thereby provide secondary burning at the outlet of said burner;
• means for igniting said burner.