Abstract: A flame stabilizing system for an augmentor, or a ramjet engine, which utilizes continuously operating microwave powered plasma plume igniters to generate a stable source of ignition for the flowing combustible mixture within the augmentor combustion chamber.

Abstract: A microwave driven self-starting plasma plume igniter for aircraft gas turbine engines. In the preferred embodiment, microwave energy is generated by a magnetron and transmitted through a waveguide and coaxial transmission line. The coaxial transmission line terminates with a corner at the end of the inner conductor being opposed to a corner on the outer conductor, creating a region where the electromagnetic stress will be concentrated, and a self-starting plasma will be created. Air flow through the coaxial transmission line blows the plasma plume out of the end of the coaxial transmission line. In the preferred embodiment, The outer conductor of the coaxial transmission line terminates in a cap with a central hole and the inner conductor terminates even with or slightly behind the inner wall of the outer conductor cap. The corner on the end of the inner conductor is thus opposed to the interior corner on the outer conductor formed by the hole through the cap.

Abstract: A system for re-igniting an aircraft gas turbine jet engine which has flamed out, using a plurality of electromagnetic wave powered plasma plume igniters in an intermittent mode to avoid compressor stall, and bootstrap the engine back up to normal operating conditions. The system uses electromagnetic wave powered plasma plume igniters to provide a source of thermal energy to ignite fuel, and the Fully Automatic Digital Engine Control (FADEC) which is a standard component on aircraft using aircraft gas turbine jet engines, to control the igniter operation preventing compressor stall during the re-ignition process.