Scramjet engine having improved fuel/air mixing
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorGeorge A. Coffinberry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved method of operating a scramjet engine for powering an aircraft at supersonic velocity is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing supersonic compressed airflow in a combustor, supplying fuel to the compressed airflow in the combustor, and providing a monopropellant adjacent to the airflow and the fuel. The monopropellant is effective for expanding in the combustor for mixing the airflow and the fuel for combustion of the airflow and fuel for generating combustion gases. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the monopropellant is hydrazine and is effective for obtaining a specific volumetric increase of about 20,000:1. An apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention is also disclosed.
Claims20
A method of operating a scramjet engine for powering an aircraft at supersonic velocity, said engine including in serial flow communication an inlet, combustor and exhaust nozzle, comprising the steps of:
- providing supersonic compressed airflow from said inlet to said combustor;
- supplying fuel to said compressed airflow in said combustor;
- providing a monopropellant in said combustor adjacent to said compressed airflow and said fuel, said monopropellant being effective for expanding in said combustor for mixing said airflow and said fuel for combustion of said airflow and said fuel to generate combustion gases;
- and
- discharging said combustion gases from said combustor through said exhaust nozzle for powering said aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.