Combination propulsion system for a flying craft

Abstract

A combination engine for a flying craft capable of flying at speeds within a wide range from subsonic speeds to hypersonic speeds, is equipped with a rocket engine section that is independent of an atmospheric air supply, and a turbo air jet engine section having a compressor which is driven by a turbine that is also independent of an external air supply. The combination may further include extra fuel supply nozzles for operation as a ram jet which uses the same flow channel as the turbo air jet engine section. A gas generator equipped with two valving mechanisms is arranged coaxially with the rocket engine section. The valving mechanisms are controllable to open the gas generator chamber to the rocket combustion chamber while closing off gas flow to the turbo air jet section or vice versa. Either section can work alone or in parallel and simultaneously with the other section. Each turbine wheel forms with one compressor wheel a free wheeling rotor without any intermediate guide wheels, whereby the turbine blades extend either radially inwardly or radially outside of the compressor blades. A gas mixer or distributor is arranged downstream of the turbine and leads into the combustion chamber of the turbo or ram jet section to mix external air with the turbine propellant gases.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.