Hot gas flow generator with no moving parts

A fluid mass reaction engine comprising

• an annular housing including means defining an inlet thereinto and an outlet therefrom,
• a heating chamber in said housing spaced from said inlet,
• means defining a momentum exchange region between said housing inlet and said heating chamber,
• means defining spaced coaxial openings into and out of said heating chamber from said energy exchange region,
• means for heating air flowing through said heating chamber,
• first swirling means associated with said housing inlet and acting on air entering said inlet to produce a circular flow of air moving through said momentum exchange region into said heating chamber and having a substantial component of centrifugal velocity,
• second swirling means acting on hot gases flowing out of said heating chamber to produce a countercurrent swirling flow of hot gases within the incoming circular flow of air and having also a substantial component of centrifugal velocity,
• said swirling flows of air and hot gases having an unrestricted interface in said energy exchange region across which momentum is transferred from the hot gases to the inlet air,
• means for directing the hot gases leaving said interface to said housing outlet, and
• means upstream of said housing outlet for changing the swirling flow of hot gases into an essentially linear gas flow passing through said housing outlet.

A fluid mass reaction engine comprising

• an annular housing including means defining an inlet thereinto and an outlet therefrom,
• a combustion chamber in said housing spaced from said inlet,
• means defining spaced coaxial openings into and out of said combustion chamber,
• first swirling means associated with said housing inlet and acting on air entering said inlet to produce a circular flow of air moving to said opening into said combustion chamber and having a substantial component of centrifugal velocity,
• means for supplying fuel into said combustion chamber for mixing with the air entering said combustion chamber and for combustion in said chamber to produce a flow of hot gases issuing from said combustion chamber,
• second swirling means acting on hot gases flowing out of said combustion chamber to produce a swirling flow of hot gases within the incoming circular flow of air moving toward said housing inlet and having also a substantial component of centrifugal velocity,
• said swirling flows of air and hot gases having an unrestricted interface through which momentum is transferred from the hot gases to the inlet air,
• means for directing the hot gases leaving said interface to said housing outlet, and
• means upstream of said housing outlet for changing the swirling flow of hot gases into an essentially linear gas flow passing through said housing outlet as a motive reaction jet.

A fluid mass reaction engine characterized by its lack of moving or rotating parts, said engine comprising

• a generally cylindrical housing including means defining an air inlet thereinto and a hot gas outlet therefrom;
• a combustion chamber in said housing spaced from said inlet;
• means defining spaced coaxial openings into and out of said combustion chamber;
• a first set of stationary swirling vanes associated with said housing air inlet and acting on air entering said inlet to produce a circular flow of air having a substantial component of centrifugal velocity and moving from said air inlet opening into said combustion chamber;
• means for supplying and mixing fuel with the air entering said combustion chamber for supporting combustion in said chamber to produce a flow of hot gases issuing from said combustion chamber;
• a second set of stationary swirling vanes acting on hot gases flowing out of said combustion chamber to produce a swirling flow of hot gases within the incoming circular flow of air, swirling in the same direction, moving toward said housing inlet, and having also a substantial component of centrifugal velocity;
• said swirling flows of air and hot gases having an unrestricted interface with semi-unstable flow conditions through which momentum is transferred from the hot gases to the inlet air to accelerate the swirling flow of air;
• means for directing the hot gases leaving said interface to said housing outlet;
• and
• means upstream of said housing outlet for changing the swirling flow of hot gases into an essentially linear gas flow passing through said housing outlet as a motive reaction jet.