Direct induction combustor/generator
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorCraig A. Nordeen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A combustor/coil assembly for direct electromagnetic induction from a detonation wave comprises an annular combustor, a magnetic field source and a port. The annular combustor comprises an inner liner and a coaxial outer liner. The outer liner is electrically insulated from the inner liner. The magnetic field source generates a substantially axial magnetic field inside the annular combustor. The port introduces reactants into the annular combustor to form the detonation wave. The detonation wave induces a voltage between the inner liner and the outer liner by forming a current loop between the inner liner and the outer liner.
Claims20
An assembly comprising:
- an annular combustor comprising an inner liner and an outer liner electrically insulated from the inner liner, the outer liner coaxially mounted about the inner liner;
- a magnetic field source for generating a substantially axial magnetic field inside the annular combustor;
- and
- a port for forming a flame front by introducing a fuel/air mixture into the annular combustor, the fuel/air mixture having axial flow;
- wherein a detonation wave propagates continuously and circumferentially about the annular combustor through the magnetic field along the flame front;
- and
- wherein the continuously and circumferentially propagating detonation wave induces a voltage between the inner liner and the outer liner by forming a current loop between the inner liner and the outer liner.
A direct electrical power generator comprising:
- an inner combustor liner;
- an outer combustor liner coaxially mounted about the inner combustor liner, wherein the outer combustor liner is electrically insulated from the inner combustor liner;
- a magnetic field source for generating a substantially axial and toroidal magnetic field between the inner and outer combustor liners;
- and
- a port for introducing a fuel/air mixture into an annular combustor, the fuel/air mixture having axial flow and forming a continuously propagating detonation wave along a frame front between the inner and outer combustor liners;
- wherein the continuously propagating detonation wave generates electrical power by forming a conducting loop between the inner and outer combustor liners, and by propagating circumferentially about the annular combustor through the magnetic field to induce a voltage between the inner combustion liner and the outer combustor liner.
A method of direct electrical power generation, the method comprising:
- providing an axial magnetic field inside an annular combustor, the annular combustor comprising an outer combustor liner coaxially mounted about the inner combustor liner and electrically insulated from the inner combustor liner;
- introducing a fuel/air mixture having axial flow into the annular combustor to form an electrically conducting detonation wave propagating continuously along a flame front between the inner combustion liner and the outer combustion liner, the detonation wave proceeding circumferentially about the annular combustor via an approximately constant-volume exothermic reaction;
- and
- generating electrical energy from a voltage induced by the continuously propagating detonation wave as it propagates circumferentially about the annular combustor through the magnetic field, wherein the continuously propagating detonation wave induces the voltage between the inner combustor liner and the outer combustor liner by forming a current loop between the inner combustor liner and the outer combustor liner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.