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US 5,473,885 AGranted
Pulse detonation engine
AssigneeLockheed Corporation
InventorsLouis G. Hunter, Jr., Don D. Winfree
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pulse detonation engine has a detonation chamber with a sidewall. At least two fuel ports are located in the sidewall, spaced longitudinally apart from each other. An oxygen fuel mixture is introduced into the forward port and detonated. This creates a detonation wave which propagates with an air fuel mixture introduced into the rearward fuel port. After the detonation, purge air passes through the chamber before the next detonation. A rotating sleeve valve mounted around the detonation opens and closes the fuel ports as well the purge ports.
Claims29
A pulse detonation apparatus, comprising in combination:
- a detonation chamber having a sidewall, a longitudinal axis, a forward end and a rearward end which is open;
- first and second detonation chamber ports located in the sidewall, spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction, with the first detonation chamber port being located closer to the forward end than the second detonation chamber port;
- oxygen fuel valve means for introducing into the first detonation chamber port a discrete oxygen fuel mixture containing a fuel and a substantially higher concentration of oxygen than exists in ambient air surrounding the engine;
- ignition means for detonating the oxygen fuel mixture in the detonation chamber, creating a detonation wave moving toward the rearward end;
- and
- air fuel valve means for introducing a discrete air fuel mixture into the second detonation chamber port which continues to propagate the detonation wave, causing the detonation wave to discharge out the rearward end.
3 more elements
A pulse detonation apparatus, comprising in combination:
- a detonation chamber having a sidewall, a longitudinal axis, a forward end and a rearward end which is open;
- at least one detonation chamber port located in the sidewall;
- a fuel valve sleeve which concentrically and sealingly engages the detonation chamber, the fuel valve sleeve having at least one valve sleeve port which is adapted to register with the detonation chamber port;
- drive means for rotating the valve sleeve and detonation chamber relative to each other about the longitudinal axis so that the valve sleeve port registers with the detonation chamber port at least once each revolution;
- fuel supply means for introducing into the valve sleeve port a gaseous fuel mixture;
- and
- ignition means for detonating the fuel mixture in the detonation chamber, creating a detonation wave which discharges out the rearward end.
4 more elements
A pulse detonation apparatus, comprising in combination:
- a detonation chamber having a sidewall, a longitudinal axis, a forward end and a rearward end which is open;
- forward and rearward detonation chamber ports located in the sidewall;
- a fuel valve sleeve having an inner diameter which concentrically and sealingly engages the detonation chamber, the fuel valve sleeve having forward and rearward valve sleeve ports which are adapted to register with the forward and rearward detonation chamber ports, respectively;
- drive means for rotating the valve sleeve about the longitudinal axis relative to the detonation chamber, so that the valve sleeve ports register with the detonation chamber ports at least once each revolution;
- oxygen fuel supply means for introducing an oxygen fuel mixture into the forward valve sleeve port;
- air fuel supply means for introducing an air fuel mixture into the rearward valve sleeve port, the air fuel mixture being of less concentration of oxygen than the oxygen fuel mixture;
- ignition means for detonating the oxygen fuel mixture in the detonation chamber, creating a detonation wave which propagates with the air fuel mixture and passes out the rearward end;
- a purge port extending longitudinally through the forward end of the detonation chamber for communicating a purge gas with the detonation chamber;
- and
- a purge valve plate stationarily mounted to the valve sleeve perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the purge valve plate having a purge orifice which registers with the purge port at least once per revolution of the valve sleeve, admitting the purge gas to the detonation chamber to purge the detonation chamber of burned gases after the detonation wave has passed from the rearward end and prior to introducing the oxygen fuel mixture for a next cycle.
7 more elements
A method of creating a high pressure gaseous discharge, comprising:
- (a) providing a detonation chamber having a sidewall, a longitudinal axis, a forward end and a rearward end which is open;
- (b) locating first and second detonation chamber ports located in the sidewall, spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction, with the first detonation chamber port being located closer to the forward end than the second detonation chamber port;
- (c) introducing into the first detonation chamber port a discrete oxygen fuel mixture containing a fuel and a substantially higher concentration of oxygen than exists in ambient air surrounding the apparatus;
- (d) detonating the oxygen fuel mixture in the detonation chamber, creating a detonation wave moving toward the rearward end;
- and
- (e) introducing a discrete air fuel mixture into the second detonation chamber port which is propagated by the detonation wave and passes out the rearward end as a high pressure gaseous discharge pulse;
- then
- (f) repeating steps (c) through (e) for a next cycle.
5 more elements
A method of creating a high pressure gaseous discharge, comprising:
- (a) providing a detonation chamber having a sidewall, a longitudinal axis, a forward end, a rearward end which is open, and at least one detonation chamber port located in the sidewall;
- (b) mounting around the detonation chamber a fuel valve sleeve which has at least one valve sleeve port positioned to register with the detonation chamber port;
- (e) causing rotation of the valve sleeve and the detonation chamber relative to each other about the longitudinal axis so that the valve sleeve port registers with the detonation chamber port at least once each revolution;
- (f) introducing into the valve sleeve port a gaseous fuel mixture which flows through the detonation chamber port when the valve sleeve port registers with the detonation chamber port;
- (g) detonating the fuel mixture in the detonation chamber when the valve sleeve port is out of registry with the detonation chamber port, creating a detonation wave moving toward the rearward end to create a high pressure gaseous pulse as the detonation wave passes out the rearward end;
- then
- (h) repeating steps (e) through (g) for a next cycle.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.