Engine
AssigneeReaction Engines Limited
InventorsAlan Bond, Richard Varvill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to an engine having two modes of operation—air breathing and rocket—that may be used in aerospace applications such as in an aircraft, flying machine, or aerospace vehicle. The engine's efficiency can be maximized by using a precooler arrangement to cool intake air in air breathing mode using cold fuel delivery systems used for the rocket mode. By introducing the precooler and certain other engine cycle components, and arranging and operating them as described, problems such as those associated with higher fuel and weight requirements and frost formation can be alleviated.
Claims47
An engine comprising:
- a rocket combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;
- an air-breathing combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;
- a compressor for pressurizing air for supply to the air-breathing combustion chamber;
- a first fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to the rocket combustion chamber;
- a second fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to the air-breathing combustion chamber;
- an oxidant delivery system for delivering oxidant to the rocket combustion chamber;
- wherein the air-breathing combustion chamber and the rocket combustion chamber are configured to be operated independently with the engine being switchable from an air-breathing mode to a full rocket mode;
- and
- wherein the engine further comprises:
- a first heat exchanger arrangement having an inlet and an outlet arranged for cooling air to be supplied to the compressor using a heat transfer medium before compression by the compressor;
- a heat transfer medium loop for the heat transfer medium;
- and
- a second heat exchanger arrangement configured for cooling of the heat transfer medium by fuel delivered by the first or second fuel delivery system.
A method of operating an engine, the engine comprising:
- a rocket combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;
- an air-breathing combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;
- a compressor for pressurizing air for supply to the air-breathing combustion chamber;
- a first fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to the rocket combustion chamber;
- a second fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to the air-breathing combustion chamber;
- an oxidant delivery system for delivering oxidant to the rocket combustion chamber;
- wherein the air-breathing combustion chamber and the rocket combustion chamber are configured to be operated independently with the engine being switchable from an air-breathing mode to a full rocket mode;
- the engine further comprising:
- a first heat exchanger arrangement having an inlet and an outlet arranged for cooling air to be supplied to the compressor using a heat transfer medium before compression by the compressor;
- a heat transfer medium loop for the heat transfer medium;
- and
- a second heat exchanger arrangement configured for cooling of the heat transfer medium by fuel delivered by the first or second fuel delivery system, the method comprising:
- in a first mode of operation, supplying the air-breathing combustion chamber with fuel and oxidant to operate the engine in the air-breathing mode;
- and
- in a second mode of operation, supplying the rocket combustion chamber with fuel and oxidant to operate the engine in the full rocket mode;
- wherein, in the first mode of operation, air is cooled in the first heat exchanger arrangement by the heat transfer medium.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.