Methods and apparatus for generating gas turbine engine thrust with a pulse detonation thrust augmenter
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorJohn Michael Koshoffer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method enables thrust to be generated from a gas turbine engine using a pulse detonation system is provided. The engine includes an inlet portion and an exhaust portion, and the pulse detonation system includes a multi-staged pulse detonation augmentor including predetonator. The method comprises supplying a less than stoichiometric fuel/air mixture to the pulse detonation system during a first operating stage, detonating the fuel/air mixture with the predetonator to increase the temperature and pressure within the engine and to generate engine thrust, and supplying additional fuel and air to the pulse detonation system during a second operating stage.
Claims20
A method for generating thrust from a gas turbine engine using a pulse detonation system, the engine including an inlet portion and an exhaust portion, the pulse detonation system including a multi-staged pulse detonation augmentor including a predetonator, said method comprising:
- supplying a less than stoichiometric fuel/air mixture to the pulse detonation system during a first operating stage;
- detonating the fuel/air mixture with the predetonator to increase the temperature and pressure within the engine and to generate engine thrust;
- and
- supplying additional fuel and air to the augmentor during a second operating stage.
A pulse detonation system for a gas turbine engine including a core engine, said pulse detonation system downstream from the core engine and configured to create a temperature rise and a pressure rise within the gas turbine engine and to increase engine thrust, said pulse detonation system comprising a multi-staged pulse detonation augmentor comprising a predetonator operable with at least a first operating stage wherein a less-than-stoichiometric fuel-air mixture is provided to said predetonator.
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- an inlet portion;
- an exhaust portion positioned co-axially with said inlet portion;
- and
- a pulse detonation system positioned between said inlet and exhaust portions, said pulse detonation system configured to create a temperature rise and a pressure rise within said engine and to increase engine thrust, said pulse detonation system comprising a multi-staged pulse detonation augmentor comprising a predetonator that is operable with at least a first operating stage wherein a less-than-stoichiometric fuel-air mixture is provided to said augmentor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.