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US 4,628,688 AGranted
Solid fuel ramjet flow control device
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorJames L. Keirsey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for controlling the rate of fuel generation in a solid fuel ramjet ngine having a translating tube within the fuel grain and air inlet for continuously changing the distribution of air over the fuel grain in response to air mass flow. The distribution of air effects the aerodynamic shear interaction between the air and solid fuel which causes a change in burn rate.
Claims10
A device for controlling the generation of fuel combustion products in a solid fuel ramjet engine propelled missile comprising:
- a combustor chamber containing the solid fuel for generating the fuel combustion products, and having an inlet for admitting air thereinto, and an outlet for discharging the fuel combustion products generated;
- sensor means for sensing air mass flow entering the inlet;
- means operatively associated with said combustor chamber for continuously varying the aerodynamic shear interaction between the solid fuel and the air admitted into said combustor chamber;
- said means comprising a tube located coaxially in the air inlet extending into said combustor chamber and defining a first path for air flow into said chamber between said tube and air inlet inner surface directed along and in close proximity to the solid fuel, and a second path for air flow into said chamber through said tube directed away from the solid fuel and centrally through said chamber, said tube positionable between a first position for causing all of the air to flow along the first path and a second position for causing all of the air to flow along the second path for continuously varying the split of air flow therebetween;
- and,
- a servomechanism electrically coupled to said sensor and mechanically connected to said tube for causing said tube to continuously translate and take positions in response to instantaneous air mass flow sensed by said sensor;
- whereby the generation of the fuel combustion products is increased or decreased in response to changes in the sensed air mass flow.
4 more elements
A device for controlling generation of fuel combustion products in a solid fuel ramjet engine propelled missile comprising:
- a combustor chamber containing the solid fuel for generating the fuel combustion products having an air inlet and a fuel combustion product outlet;
- means in the air inlet for continuously sensing instantaneous air mass flow entering the inlet;
- means positioned in the air inlet extending into said combustor chamber for continuously changing the aerodynamic shear interaction between the air and solid fuel by directing entering air into close proximity to or away from the solid fuel grain surface as a function of the instantaneous condition of the air mass flow entering the inlet as sensed by said means for sensing;
- and,
- means electrically coupled to said sensing means and mechanically connected to said means for changing the aerodynamic shear interaction for continuously positioning said aerodynamic shear interaction changing means within the inlet in response to the instantaneous condition.
2 more elements
A fuel flow control device for use in a solid fuel ramjet engine comprising:
- a chamber containing a solid fuel for generating fuel rich combustion products, said chamber having an inlet for admitting air thereinto and an outlet for discharging the fuel rich combustion products therefrom;
- a sensor for continuously sensing instantaneous air mass flow into the chamber;
- a translatable tube mounted coaxially in the air inlet defining an annulus between said tube and air inlet and extending into said chamber, said annulus defines a first path of air-flow into said chamber for directing the air along and in close proximity to the solid fuel to increase aerodynamic shear interaction therebetween, and said tube defines a second path of air-flow into said chamber for directing the air away from the solid fuel and centrally through said chamber to decrease aerodynamic shear interaction therebetween, said tube adapted for translation to positions within the inlet for changing the proportional split of air flow between the first and second paths as a function of the instantaneous air flow as sensed by said sensor;
- and,
- a servomechanism electrically coupled to said sensor and mechanically connected to said translatable tube for continuously positioning said tube within the inlet in response to the instantaneous air mass flow.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.