Abstract: An apparatus for providing propulsive power that utilizes a novel swirl generator for rapidly and efficiently atomizing, vaporizing, as necessary, and mixing a fuel into an oxidant. The swirl generator converts an oxidant flow into a turbulent, three-dimensional flowfield into which the fuel is introduced. The swirl generator effects a toroidal outer recirculation zone and a central recirculation zone, which is positioned within the outer recirculation zone. These recirculation zones are configured in a backward-flowing manner that carries heat and combustion byproducts upstream where they are employed to continuously ignite a combustible fuel/oxidizer mixture in adjacent shear layers. The swirl generator is compatible with the throttle range of conventional gas turbine engines, provides smooth combustion with no instabilities and minimum total pressure losses, enables significant reductions the in L/D ratio of the combustor and is readily packaged into various applications.

Abstract: An improved torch igniter for use in devices such as thrust augmenters, gas turbine engines, ramjets, combined-cycle engines and industrial burners. The torch igniter includes a housing with a combustion chamber. Fuel and oxidizer are delivered into the combustion chamber and ignited by an electronic ignition source, such as a plasma jet igniter or a spark igniter, so that an upstream recirculation zone and a downstream recirculation zone are created. The upstream recirculation zone stabilizes and pilots combustion within the combustion chamber, while the downstream recirculation zone augments the combustion event. Byproducts of the combustion event within the torch igniter provide a high mass flux with high thermal energy and strong ignition source radicals that are discharged through a neck portion of the housing and are thereafter employed to initiate a primary combustion event in a primary combustor.

Abstract: The invention comprises a surrogate weapon for simulating the sound and flash of gunfire having a combustion chamber system in which a primary chamber is an elongated cavity, having a proximal end closed with a head and an open distal end. A combustible mixture is injected via electronically timed hydrocarbon fuel and oxidizer pulses into the combustion chamber near the closed end through an annular injector having a plurality of spaced apart fuel and oxidizer nozzles. The fuel nozzles are axially spaced from the oxidizer nozzles and are closer to the head. Thus the injected fuel/oxidizer charge is stratified with a fuel concentration distribution preferentially being richer at an ignition source near the head.

Abstract: The invention comprises a combined machine gun and large bore cannon weapons effects signature simulator having a rapid fire small bore methane and oxygen fired combustion chamber disposed within the combustion chamber of a large bore main tank gun weapons effects signature simulator and supplied from a common source of pressurized methane and oxygen.One embodiment includes the injection of ambient temperature oil into the large bore chamber prior to firing the combustible mixture to augment the flame content of the weapon signature.Another embodiment provides for the emission of hot oil vapor to augment the smoke content of the weapon signature.Yet another embodiment provides the machine gun simulator combustion chamber integral with and in intimate thermal contact with the wall of the large bore combustion chamber, whereby the machine gun combustion chamber utilizes the large bore combustion chamber wall to dissipate heat.