Combined cycle pulse combustion/gas turbine engine

Abstract

A combined cycle pulse combustion/gas turbine engine has a gas turbine engine used in conjunction with a plurality of pulse combustion engines. In one embodiment, the gas turbine engine includes a housing, a bypass fan, a central engine core, and a diffuser section. The diffuser section is used to route bypass air from the bypass fan around the central engine core and out of the housing. The pulse engines are mounted in the diffuser section and receive bypass air from the bypass fan. In a first alternate embodiment, bypass air is routed from the diffuser section through a duct to the pulse engine. A valve is disposed between the bypass fan and the pulse engines for selectively allowing bypass air from the bypass fan to enter the duct. In a second alternate embodiment, a fan mounts to each inlet port. The gas turbine engine has a drive shaft that drives the fan. A clutch selectively disengages the fans.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.