Combination turbojet-ramjet-rocket propulsion system

A combination turbojet-ramjet-rocker propulsion system having a combustion chamber and an air intake duct means to direct air into the combustion chamber defined between a central body and an external housing comprising;

• a) axial type air compressor means located in the air intake duct upstream of the combustion chamber to generate a compressed air stream passing into the combustion chamber the air compressor having two contrarotating stages comprising an upstream stage and a downstream stage;
• b) axial type gas driven turbine means located in the central body, the gas driven turbine having:
• a first turbine rotor having n stages;
• a second turbine rotor having (n-1) stages;
• and exhaust means;
• c) a first shaft operatively connecting the first turbine rotor to the upstream stage of the air compressor;
• d) a second shaft concentrically arranged with the first shaft and operatively connecting the second turbine rotor to the downstream stage of the air compressor;
• e) a plurality of support struts extending in a generally radial direction to support the central body within the external housing;
• f) collector ring means communicating with an inlet of the gas driven turbine;
• g) conduit means passing through at least one of the support struts communicating with the collector ring means and the means to supply the pressurized gas to the gas driven turbine;
• h) means to supply a pressurized gas to drive the gas driven turbine comprising:
• i) a source of hydrogen;
• ii) hydrogen distribution circuit means;
• iii) a turbopump interconnecting the hydrogen source and distribution circuit to pump the hydrogen through the hydrogen distribution circuit, the turbopump having a turbine portion driven by the hydrogen and a turbine exhaust;
• and,
• iv) circuit means interconnecting the turbine exhaust and the conduit means passing through at least one of the support struts to supply the gas driven turbine with exhaust from the turbopump turbine;
• i) a source of combustible fuel;
• j) injection means located in the combustion chamber downstream of the air compressor means in communication with the source of combustible fuel and the exhaust means of the gas driven turbine means to inject at least one of the combustible fuel and the exhaust from the gas driven turbine means into the compressed air stream when the system is operated in the turbojet and ramjet modes;
• k) exhaust gas duct means interconnecting the gas driven turbine exhaust means and the injection means;
• l) rocket motor means located in a downstream portion of the central body;
• m) adjustable exhaust nozzle means in communication with the combustion chamber and the rocket motor;
• and
• n) adjustment means operatively associated with the exhaust nozzle means to adjust the nozzle between a variable throat convergent-divergent nozzle in the turbojet and ramjet modes and a divergent nozzle in the rocket mode.

The combination turbojet-ramjet-rocket propulsion system having a combustion chamber and an air intake duct means to direct air into the combustion chamber defined between a central body and an external housing comprising:

• a) air compressor means located in the air intake duct upstream of the combustion chamber to generate a compressed air stream passing into the combination chamber;
• b) gas driven turbine means located in the central body and operatively connected to the air compressor to drive the air compressor and having exhaust means;
• c) means to supply a pressurized gas to drive the gas driven turbine;
• d) a source of combustible fuel;
• e) injection means located in the combustion chamber downstream of the air compressor means in communication with the source of combustible fuel and the exhaust means of the gas driven turbine means to inject at least one of the combustible fuel and the exhaust from the gas driven turbine means into the compressed air stream when the system is operated in the turbojet and ramjet modes;
• f) rocket motor means located in a downstream portion of the central body;
• g) adjustable exhaust nozzle means in communication with the combustion chamber and the rocket motor;
• h) adjustment means operatively associated with the exhaust nozzle means to adjust the nozzle between a variable throat convergent-divergent nozzle in the turbojet and ramjet modes and a divergent nozzle in the rocket mode.
• i) a source of hydrogen;
• j) a source of oxygen;
• k) first circuit means interconnecting the hydrogen source to the injection means;
• l) second circuit means interconnecting the hydrogen source to the rocket motor;
• m) an expander regenerating circuit;
• n) third circuit means interconnecting the hydrogen source to the expander regenerating circuit;
• o) fourth circuit means interconnecting the expander regenerating circuit to the gas driven turbine;
• p) fifth circuit means interconnecting the oxygen source and the rocket motor;
• q) sixth circuit means connecting the exhaust of the gas driven turbine to the injector means;
• and
• r) valve control means operatively associated with the circuit such that:
• in the turbojet mode of operation pressurized gas passes through the gas driven turbine and is supplied to the injection means and hydrogen is supplied to the injection means;
• in the ramjet mode of operation only hydrogen is supplied to the injection means;
• and in the rocket mode of operation hydrogen and oxygen are supplied only to the rocket motor.

A combination turbojet-ramjet-rocket propulsion system having a combustion chamber and an air intake duct means to direct air into the combustion chamber defined between a central body and an external housing comprising:

• a) air compressor means located in the air intake duct upstream of the combustion chamber to generate a compressed air stream passing into the combustion chamber;
• b) gas driven turbine means located in the central body and operatively connected to the air compressor to drive the air compressor and having exhaust means;
• c) means to supply a pressurized gas to drive the gas driven turbine;
• d) a source of combustible fuel;
• e) injection means located in the combustion chamber downstream of the air compressor means in communication with the source of combustible fuel and the exhaust means of the gas driven turbine means to inject at least one of the combustible fuel and the exhaust from the gas driven turbine means into the compressed air stream when the system is operated in the turbojet and ramjet modes;
• f) rocket motor means located in a downstream portion of the central body;
• g) adjustable exhaust nozzle means in communication with the combustion chamber and the rocket motor wherein the adjustable nozzle means comprises:
• i) a first divergent nozzle portion fixedly attached to and extending downstream from the rocket motor;
• ii) a second divergent nozzle portion movable between extended and retracted positions;
• iii) a third divergent nozzle portion fixedly attached to a downstream portion of the external housing and axially spaced from the first divergent nozzle portion to define a gap therebetween;
• iv) actuating means operatively associated with the second divergent nozzle portion to move it between its retracted position wherein it is displaced from the gap and its extended position wherein it closes the gap and connects the first and third divergent nozzle portions to form a divergent nozzle in the rocket mode;
• and
• v) a fourth movable nozzle portion which extends into the gap when the second divergent nozzle portion is retracted to form a convergent-divergent nozzle with the external housing and the third divergent nozzle portion in the turbojet and ramjet modes;
• and,
• h) adjustment means operatively associated with the exhaust nozzle means to adjust the nozzle between a variable throat convergent-divergent nozzle in the turbojet and ramjet modes and a divergent nozzle in the rocket mode.