Abstract: An engine includes an inlet tube introducing air to a combustion process and a first plurality of fuel injectors disposed in the inlet tube and used for scram-jet engine operation. The engine includes a second plurality of fuel injectors used for ram-jet engine operation. The second plurality of fuel injectors is upstream from the first plurality of fuel injectors and is disposed in the inlet tube. The engine includes a combustor swirl zone downstream of and adjacent to the first plurality of fuel injectors.

Abstract: A rotating detonation combustor includes a combustion chamber configured for a rotating detonation process to produce a flow of combustion gas and an air plenum configured to contain a volume of air. The rotating detonation combustor also includes a flow passage coupled in flow communication between the combustion chamber and the air plenum and configured to channel an airflow from the air plenum. The rotating detonation combustor also includes a fuel inlet coupled in flow communication with the flow passage and configured to channel a fuel flow into the flow passage. The flow passage includes a plurality of fuel mixing mechanisms configured to mix the airflow and the fuel flow within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A combustion section includes a casing that defines a diffusion chamber. The combustion section further includes a combustion liner that is disposed within the diffusion chamber and that defines a combustion chamber. The combustion liner is spaced apart from the casing such that a passageway is defined between the combustion liner and the casing. The combustion section further includes a fuel cell assembly that is disposed in the passageway. The fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell stack having a plurality of fuel cells. The plurality of fuel cells extend from an inlet end in fluid communication with the diffusion chamber to an outlet end extending through the combustion liner and in fluid communication with the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes at least one rotating detonation actuator comprising: a flow path extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; an inner wall defining a radially inner boundary of the flow path; an outer wall defining a radially outer boundary of the flow path; and at least one aircraft wing. The rotating detonation actuator is disposed in the aircraft wing. At least one rotating detonation wave travels through the flow path from the inlet end to the outlet end.

Abstract: A combustion section defines an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The combustion section includes a casing that defines a diffusion chamber. A combustion liner is disposed within the diffusion chamber and defines a combustion chamber. The combustion liner is spaced apart from the casing such that a passageway is defined between the combustion liner and the casing. A fuel cell assembly is disposed in the passageway. The fuel cell assembly includes a fuel cell stack that has a plurality of fuel cells each extending between an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end receives a flow of air and fuel and the outlet end provides output products to the combustion chamber. The outlet end of the plurality of fuel cells extends through the combustion liner and partially defines the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A system for removing heat from an aircraft component includes: a heat exchanger in proximity to an aircraft component and having an inlet, an outlet, and an internal surface coated with a catalyst; a source of hydrocarbon fuel in fluid communication with the inlet of the heat exchanger; a source of oxygen in fluid communication with the inlet of the heat exchanger; and a distribution system. A method of removing heat from an aircraft component includes providing a heat exchanger in proximity to an aircraft component, the heat exchanger being in fluid communication with a source of hydrocarbon fuel and a source of water and having an internal surface coated with a catalyst; introducing a hydrocarbon fuel into the heat exchanger; introducing oxygen into the heat exchanger; contacting the hydrocarbon fuel with the catalyst; and cracking the hydrocarbon fuel.

Abstract: A flow control actuator includes a first side wall, a second side wall opposite and substantially parallel to the first side wall, an upstream wall mechanically coupled to upstream ends of the first and second side walls, and a downstream cap mechanically coupled to downstream ends of the first and second side walls. The first side wall, the second side wall, the upstream wall and the downstream cap collectively define an interior of the flow control actuator. An energy source is disposed in at least one of the first sidewall and the second sidewall. At least one fuel injector is disposed in the upstream wall, the first sidewall and/or the second sidewall for dispersing fuel into the flow control actuator. At least one air inlet is disposed in the upstream wall, the first sidewall and/or the second sidewall for introducing air into the flow control actuator. Fuel from fuel injector and air from the air inlet are ignited in the flow control actuator.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes; a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine in serial flow relationship; a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger having an inlet, an outlet, and an internal surface coated with a catalyst, the heat exchanger being located upstream of the compressor; a source of hydrocarbon fuel in fluid communication with the inlet of the heat exchanger; a source of oxygen in fluid communication with the inlet of the heat exchanger; and a distribution system for receiving reformed hydrocarbon fuel from the heat exchanger.

Abstract: A fuel and air injection handling system for a rotating detonation engine is provided. The system includes a compressor configured to compress air received via a compressor inlet and configured to output the air that is compressed as swirling, compressed air through a compressor outlet. The system also includes an annular rotating detonation combustor fluidly coupled with the compressor outlet. The annular rotating detonation combustor has a detonation cavity that extends around an annular axis, the annular rotating detonation combustor configured to combust the compressed air from the compressor in detonations that rotate within the detonation cavity around the annular axis of the annular rotating detonation combustor. The annular rotating detonation combustor is fluidly and directly coupled with the compressor outlet.

Abstract: An engine includes an inlet tube introducing air to a combustion process and a first plurality of fuel injectors disposed in the inlet tube and used for scram-jet engine operation. The engine includes a second plurality of fuel injectors used for ram-jet engine operation. The second plurality of fuel injectors is upstream from the first plurality of fuel injectors and is disposed in the inlet tube. The engine includes a combustor swirl zone downstream of and adjacent to the first plurality of fuel injectors.

Abstract: An aircraft having distributed fans for boundary layer ingestion is provided. In one aspect, an aircraft includes a fuselage extending between a forward end and an aft end. The aircraft includes a plurality of boundary layer ingestion fans arranged in an array. Each fan of the array is mounted to and arranged circumferentially around the aft end of the fuselage. The fans are positioned so as to ingest boundary layer airflow flowing along the fuselage. At least two fans of the array are different sizes. Each fan of the fan array is operatively coupled with an electric machine. The electric machines are operable to drive their respective fans to produce thrust. The fans of the array are independently controlled in accordance with the boundary layer suction requirements of the aircraft.

Abstract: An engine includes an inlet tube introducing air to a combustion process and a first plurality of fuel injectors disposed in the inlet tube and used for scram-jet engine operation. The engine includes a second plurality of fuel injectors used for ram-jet engine operation. The second plurality of fuel injectors is upstream from the first plurality of fuel injectors and is disposed in the inlet tube. The engine includes a combustor swirl zone downstream of and adjacent to the first plurality of fuel injectors.

Abstract: A combustor includes a circumferential main combustion chamber and a plurality of air inlets, the plurality of air inlets dispersing air into the circumferential main combustion chamber. The combustor also includes at least one swirl-stabilized pilot burner, which disperses combustion gases into the circumferential main combustion chamber. The air inlets and the swirl-stabilized pilot burner are aligned at least partially in a radial direction and at least partially in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A combustion system includes an annular tube disposed between an inner wall and an outer wall, the annular tube extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; at least one annulus inlet disposed in the annular tube proximate the inlet end, the annulus inlet providing a conduit through which fluid flows into the annular tube; at least one outlet disposed in the annular tube proximate the outlet end; at least one inlet fluid plenum disposed upstream of the annulus inlet; and at least one fluid inlet disposed upstream of the inlet fluid plenum. The fluid inlet is linearly offset from the annulus inlet.

Abstract: A turbine engine comprising a compressor section and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement defining a working air flow path with a heat exchanger in fluid communication the working air flow path, and a nuclear fuel in thermal communication with the heat exchanger and a release valve in fluid communication with the working air flow path.

Abstract: A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to cool the leading edge of certain portions of the hypersonic aircraft that are exposed to high thermal loads, such as extremely high temperatures and/or thermal gradients. Specifically, the leading edge assemblies may include an outer wall tapered to a leading edge or stagnation point. A coolant supply may be in fluid communication with at least one fluid passageway that passes through the outer wall to deliver a flow of cooling fluid, such as liquid metal, to the stagnation point. The liquid metal vaporizes when the leading edge experiences a high heat load, thereby transpiration cooling the leading edge and/or facilitating a magnetohydrodynamic process for generating thrust or electricity.

Abstract: A hypersonic aircraft includes one or more leading edge assemblies that are designed to cool the leading edge of certain portions of the hypersonic aircraft that are exposed to high thermal loads, such as extremely high temperatures and/or thermal gradients. Specifically, the leading edge assemblies may include an outer wall tapered to a leading edge or stagnation point. A coolant supply provides a flow of cooling fluid to a porous tip that is joined to the forward end of the outer wall and defines variable porosity and/or internal barriers to direct a flow of cooling fluid to the regions of the leading edge experiencing the highest thermal loading.

Abstract: A motor driven propulsor of an aircraft includes magnets disposed in fan shrouds of fan blades connected with a fan hub, a stator having individual conductive coils in a nacelle located radially outside of the fan hub, and a distributed inverter assembly having several inverter power stages and gate drivers, each of the inverter power stages coupled with a separate gate driver of the gate drivers and a separate coil of the coils in the stator. Each of the gate drivers is configured to individually control supply of direct current to the corresponding inverter power stage. Each of the inverter power stages is configured to convert the direct current supplied to the inverter power stage to an alternating current that is supplied to the corresponding coil in the stator to rotate the magnets and the fan blades around a center line of the fan hub for propelling the aircraft.

Abstract: A turbine engine airfoil apparatus, including an airfoil defined by a plurality of airfoil sections arrayed along a stacking axis that extends between a root and a tip, wherein at least two of the airfoil sections spaced apart from each other have differing airfoil section thermal expansion properties.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes at least one rotating detonation actuator comprising: a flow path extending from an inlet end to an outlet end; an inner wall defining a radially inner boundary of the flow path; an outer wall defining a radially outer boundary of the flow path; and at least one aircraft wing. The rotating detonation actuator is disposed in the aircraft wing. At least one rotating detonation wave travels through the flow path from the inlet end to the outlet end.