Abstract: A diffuser assembly includes a casing at a compressor aft end; an inner barrel member radially inward of the casing; and an array of radial flow splitters extending between the inner barrel member and the casing. Each radial flow splitter includes a leading edge facing into a flow of air, a trailing end wall opposite the leading edge, a pair of side walls extending between the leading edge and the trailing end wall, and an axis extending through the leading edge and the trailing end wall. A width of each radial flow splitter increases from the leading edge to the trailing end wall. The side walls diverge away from the axis in a downstream direction corresponding to the flow of air. Optionally, the side walls also diverge away from the axis in a radial direction between the inner barrel member and the casing.

Abstract: An igniter for a combustor of a turbomachine includes a fuel inlet in fluid communication with a mixing plenum. The mixing plenum is positioned upstream of a mixing channel. An air inlet is in fluid communication with the mixing plenum and an ignition source is in operative communication with the mixing channel. The igniter may include a mounting flange configured for coupling the igniter to the combustor. The ignition source may be positioned proximate to a downstream end of the mixing channel and upstream of the mounting flange. The mixing channel may define a venturi shape. The venturi shape includes a converging section between an upstream end of the mixing channel and a venturi throat.

Abstract: A combustor includes an end cover and at least one fuel nozzle extending from the end cover and at least partially surrounded by a combustion liner. The combustor further includes an outer sleeve spaced apart from and surrounding the combustion liner such that an annulus is defined therebetween. The combustor further includes a fuel injection assembly. The fuel injection assembly includes a fuel injector that extends through the outer sleeve, the annulus, and the combustion liner to the secondary combustion zone. A fuel supply conduit positioned outside of the outer sleeve. The fuel supply conduit extending to the fuel injector. A shielding assembly coupled to the outer sleeve and at least partially surrounding the fuel supply conduit. The at least one fuel sweep opening is defined in the outer sleeve and disposed within the shielding assembly.

Abstract: A combustor may comprise an outer combustor panel and an inner combustor panel radially inward of the outer combustor panel. A bulkhead panel may extend radially between the outer combustor panel and the inner combustor panel. An outer spacer may be located between an outer flange of the bulkhead panel and the outer combustor panel. An inner spacer may be located between an inner flange of the bulkhead panel and the inner combustor panel.

Abstract: An autothrottle of an aircraft is configured to reduce engine power of the aircraft such that the aircraft incrementally slows from a prior airspeed to a reduced airspeed by a first increment, and compare the rates of energy consumption at the prior airspeed and the reduced airspeed. In response to the rate of energy consumption at the reduced airspeed being lower than at the prior airspeed as determined the above operations are repeated. In response to the rate of energy consumption at the reduced airspeed not being less than at the prior airspeed, the autothrottle increases the engine power such that the aircraft incrementally speeds up from a prior airspeed to an increased airspeed by a second increment, the increased airspeed corresponding to a more efficient operating point of the aircraft than any prior airspeed.

Abstract: An Electrostatic Ion Thruster for propulsion of spacecraft, comprising an ionization chamber with a central axis, a propellent gas inlet port, an inlet, an exit and an igniter between the propellent gas inlet port and the inlet of the ionization chamber, a propellent gas source, an ion accelerator arranged at the exit of the ionization chamber opposite the propellent gas inlet port in the direction of the central axis, the ion accelerator including at least three acceleration grids spaced apart from each other in the direction of the central axis and each extending perpendicular to the central axis, an ignition circuit electrically connected to the igniter, at least three high frequency coils surrounding at least a part of the ionization chamber, a high frequency ionization power generating unit electrically connected to the high frequency coils, and a polyphase high voltage high frequency power generating unit electrically connected to the acceleration grids.

Abstract: A system and method for space resource mining and maneuvering may utilize at least one linear transformer driver, a selective ionization plasma pyrolysis extractor, and at least one pulsed plasma thruster.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a primary fan and an engine core. The primary fan is mounted for rotation about an axis of the gas turbine engine to provide thrust. The engine core is coupled to the primary fan and configured to drive the primary fan about the axis to cause the fan to push air to provide thrust for the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: This application describes creating, modifying, and bending electromagnetic solitons at large scales for the various applications. An electromagnetic soliton generator system controls the magnetic soliton such that the orientation, rotation rate, pitch angle, and magnetic field strength of the solitons are modified to provide the described standing waves and generate a magnetic flux differential.

Abstract: A combustion chamber for an aircraft turbomachine includes an annular chamber end wall structure, an annular row of main injection systems mounted in the chamber end wall structure and configured to deliver a sheet of fuel, including a central recirculation region and a corner recirculation region around the central recirculation region, and secondary injection systems each configured to inject an additional flow of air and fuel directly into a corresponding corner recirculation region.

Abstract: An electrodeless plasma thruster with closed-ring-shaped gas discharge chamber (1, 10) can include a gas discharge chamber (1, 10) closed-ring-shaped in fluid communication with a propellant storage system (10, 70). An antenna (3, 30) can be positioned on the exterior of the gas discharge tube (1, 10). A guide tube (2, 20) can be coupled with the gas discharge chamber (1, 10) at a first end and have a second open end. A magnetic system (7, 50) can be positioned on the second end of the guide tube (2, 20). The magnetic system (7, 50) can be electrically coupled with a power supply. The power supply can be electrically coupled with a power converter (11, 80) and a control module.

Abstract: Precision flow restrictors and techniques for manufacturing the same for ion thruster manifolds are disclosed. Flow restricting features are moved out of the manifold base and into separate flow restrictors, allowing a wider range of manufacturing techniques and materials to be applied. Quality control can be performed at the level of the flow restrictors as subcomponents, ensuring that only good parts with ideal flow characteristics make it into the final assembly and improving the yield rate of the final manifold assembly.

Abstract: An intake system for an atmosphere-breathing electric thruster is disclosed, comprising an inlet for inflow of atmosphere particles, an outlet for coupling to the thruster for fueling collected atmosphere particles to the thruster, a collector arranged between the inlet and the outlet comprising multiple channels for allowing inflowing atmosphere particles to pass through the channels towards the outlet, the channels defining an inlet area and a length, wherein a position of at least part of the channels is adjustable to alter at least one of the inlet area and the length.

Abstract: A method and apparatus uses a VLF transmitter, a VLF receiver, and/or a low earth orbit satellite including a rocket engine. A VLF wave transmitted into space is converted to an ambient wave. The ambient wave acts as a signal wave for a whistler traveling wave parametric amplifier. Rocket exhaust is generated in atmospheric plasma. The rocket exhaust includes kinetic energy acting as a Lower Hybrid wave source. The Lower Hybrid wave source produces a Lower Hybrid wave, which acts as a pump wave for the parametric amplifier. Nonlinear mixing of the signal wave and the pump wave in the atmospheric plasma simultaneously parametrically amplifies the ambient wave and generates an idler wave and a parametrically amplified wave. The parametrically amplified wave (1) reduces the density of energetic protons or killer electrons in the Van Allen radiation belt, and (2) improves communications between the VLF transmitter and VLF receiver.

Abstract: A propulsion system coupled to a vehicle. The system includes a diffusing structure and a conduit portion configured to introduce to the diffusing structure through a passage a primary fluid produced by the vehicle. The passage is defined by a wall, and the diffusing structure comprises a terminal end configured to provide egress from the system for the introduced primary fluid. A constricting element is disposed adjacent the wall. An actuating apparatus is coupled to the constricting element and is configured to urge the constricting element toward the wall, thereby reducing the cross-sectional area of the passage.

Abstract: A swirler assembly includes a swirler having primary swirler with a primary swirler venturi, a swirler ferrule plate connected to the primary swirler, and a fuel nozzle disposed in the swirler ferrule plate. The swirler ferrule plate has an aft wall, an annular conical wall, and an annular cavity wall that together form an annular cavity. The annular cavity includes a plurality of inlet orifices, and at least one outlet orifice. A flow of oxidizer through the plurality of inlet orifices into the annular cavity incurs a first pressure drop from a first pressure of a pressure plenum to a second pressure lower than the first pressure, and a flow of the oxidizer from the annular cavity through the at least one outlet orifice into the primary swirler venturi incurs a second pressure drop from the second pressure to a third pressure lower than the second pressure.

Abstract: An ion propulsion device including emission modules in an emission plane, each module having an insulating support, an emission electrode on the support, and a conductive liquid with a microfluidic channel depositing conductive liquid on the electrode; an extraction electrode common to the emission modules and facing the modules; and a control unit, in which each module is configured to emit an ion beam when an electric field is applied to the liquid; each control unit controls an ion emission current emitted by applying a potential difference between each emission electrode and the extraction electrode; the emission electrodes are spaced apart by a linear distance that is greater than a distance between two adjacent emission electrodes separated by an empty space; and a length of the insulating support between the electrodes is greater than a propagation distance of an electric leakage current by charge jumping along the support between the electrodes.

Abstract: Methods and systems for operating an aircraft having two or more engines are described. The method comprises receiving an engine availability confirmation when a set of engine parameters meet engine operating conditions for an asymmetric operating regime, receiving an aircraft availability confirmation when a set of aircraft parameters meet aircraft operating conditions for the asymmetric operating regime, outputting an availability message to a cockpit of the aircraft in response to receiving the engine availability confirmation and the aircraft availability confirmation, receiving a pilot-initiated request to operate the engine in the asymmetric operating regime, and commanding the engines to operate in the asymmetric operating regime in response to the pilot-initiated request.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a gas turbine engine component assembly is provided. The gas turbine engine component assembly comprising: a first component having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, the first component including a cooling hole extending from the second surface to the first surface through the first component, wherein the second surface of the first component is oriented relative to a first airflow path such that airflow in the first airflow path separates from the second surface of the first component; and a first fairing secured to the first component proximate the second surface of the first component, the first fairing being configured to redirect airflow in the first airflow path such that the airflow exits the first fairing oriented parallel with the second surface of the first component.

Abstract: An embodiment of a torch igniter for a combustor of a gas turbine engine comprises a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, a cap defining an axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, a tip defining an axially downstream end of the combustion chamber, a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall, an outlet passage defined by the igniter wall within the tip, and a cooling system. The cooling system comprises an air inlet formed within the structural wall, a first flow path disposed between the structural wall and the igniter wall, and an aperture extending through the igniter wall transverse to the flow direction. The aperture directly fluidly connects the first flow path to the combustion chamber.