Abstract: A rocket engine chamber has a back structure and a heat exchanger structure located radially inwardly of the back structure. The heat exchanger structure has a plurality of integrally formed cooling passageways with adjacent ones of the passageways having a common sidewall structure. Each passageway has a top section which forms the wall that contacts the hot gases. The top section is formed by a wall structure having an inner and outer surface formed by an arc of a circle and a substantially constant wall thickness.

Abstract: Pressure and density of a gaseous mixture are increased in the process of introducing the gaseous mixture into the combustor of an air-breathing pulse detonation engine employing atmospheric oxygen as an oxidizer. The exit valve 20 able to be opened and closed is provided at the outlet of the combustor 15, an air cooler 12 is provided in the exit of the intake, and density is increased by exchange of heat of the air received at the intake with a coolant in the air cooler 12. Furthermore, by closing the exit valve 20 provided in the outlet of the combustor during the process of loading the gaseous mixture, transition to the detonation process is possible without expansion of the high-pressure high density air obtained by ram-compression at the intake.

Abstract: The invention concerns a combustion chamber whereof the inner wall (17)is made at least partly of a thermostructural composite material, which is porous to the fuel passing through the double wall (14); and the porosity of said inner wall (17) is adjusted so that the proportion of said fuel passing through said inner skin ranges between 5% and 15% of the total amount of fuel input in said ramjet engine.

Abstract: A novel combined engine for a single-stage spacecraft is provided that combines a air-breathing engine utilizing oxygen in the atmosphere as oxidizer and rocket engines for obtaining thrust outside the atmosphere and that does not require a portion whose shape is variable in accordance with the flight speed. Rocket engines 15 are provided on struts 12 that form air introduction channels 10 in the air intake section 4. The rocket jets 18 from the rocket engines 15 control the flow of the airflows 16 introduced into the combustion chamber 20 in accordance with the flight speed. When the spacecraft 1 is stationary or in subsonic flight, the rocket jets 18 promote air intake into the combustion chamber 20 by lowering of static pressure due to expansion (ejector effect). In the subsonic flight condition, it performs the role of air compression, mixing with incoming air, fuel injection and ignition and during supersonic/ultra-supersonic flight it performs the role of a variable diffuser.

Abstract: A ramjet powered device 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 an inner central recirculation zone, both of which 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 and stabilizes flame propagation and accelerates combustion throughout the entire combustor. The swirl generator provides smooth combustion with no instabilities and minimum total pressure losses and enables significant reductions in the L/D ratio of the combustor. Other benefits include simplicity, reliability, wide flammability limits and high combustion efficiency and thrust performance.

Abstract: A burner (1) for heat generation, in particular in a gas turbine, is disclosed as well as a method for the stabilization of the flame of a burner (1). The burner (1) comprises inlet openings (3) for a combustion air stream, at least a swirl generator (2) for the combustion air stream and one or more first fuel supplies (4) with first fuel outlet openings (5) for injection of fuel into the combustion air stream. At least one resonance tube (6) with an open (7) and an essentially closed end (8) is arranged in or at the burner (1), whose closed end (8) is positioned in the region of a flame front (9) which forms during operation of the burner (1) on the side of the burner (1). An outlet opening (10) of a supply (11) for a compressible medium is arranged at the open end (7) of the resonance tube (6).

Abstract: A blanking-plug system for blanking off an orifice of a pipe, particularly for blanking off an orifice of a duct for introducing air into the combustion chamber of a ramjet. The blanking-plug system (16) comprises at least one blanking plug (15) comprising a glass plate (18) which is able to completely blank off said orifice (8) of the pipe (7); and at least one device (17) for destroying said glass plate (18) of said blanking plug (15). Said blanking plug (15) additionally comprises a plurality of elastomer protective elements (21) which are fixed on at least one first face (22) of said glass plate (18) which is likely to be subject to attack, these elements being separated from one another by a predetermined maximum distance at most, and completely covering said first face (22).

Abstract: A combined-cycle engine having at least one core engine and at least one ramjet engine. The ramjet 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 an inner central recirculation zone, both of which 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, which accelerate flame propagation throughout the core flowfield. The swirl generator provides smooth combustion with no instabilities and minimum total pressure losses and enables significant reductions in the L/D ratio of the combustor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved variable geometry inlet for a scram jet engine having at least one combustor module. The variable geometry inlet comprises each combustor module having two sidewalls. Each of the sidewalls has a central portion with a thickness and a tapered profile forward of the central portion. The tapered profile terminates in a sharp leading edge. The variable geometry inlet further comprises each module having a lower wall and a movable cowl flap positioned forward of the lower wall. The movable cowl flap has a leading edge and the leading edges of the sidewalls intersect the leading edge of the cowl flap.

Abstract: The ejector based engine is, as an example in an ejector ramjet engine, a propulsion duct having normal augmented ramjet elements of an inlet, mixer, diffuser, combustor and exit nozzle that allow operating velocities from zero to hypersonic. At the upstream end of the mixer an injector assembly is mounted in the fluid flow path to form an ejector. The injector assembly has one or more injector rings which have alternatively offset injector exhaust nozzles or slots to direct fluid toward the engine internal wall or the engine longitudinal axis respectively to improve fluid mixing for use of a shorter mixer section. The supply of fluid to the injector exhaust nozzles may be by fuel flow pumps and other elements connected to injector chambers in the injector ring or by an injector combustor external to the mixer.

Abstract: The invention concerns a combustion chamber whereof the inner wall (17)is made at least partly of a thermostructural composite material, which is porous to the fuel passing through the double wall (14); and the porosity of said inner wall (17) is adjusted so that the proportion of said fuel passing through said inner skin ranges between 5% and 15% of the total amount of fuel input in said ramjet engine.

Abstract: A shut-off system for an orifice of a duct, particularly for an orifice of an air inlet passage that allows air into the combustion chamber of a ramjet, includes a shutter for shutting off the orifice of the duct, and a controllable actuating device capable of acting on the shutter to uncover the orifice. The shutter includes a removable cap which is held on the duct and a locking device which keeps the cap on the duct by at least one locked jaw, which is unlockable. The actuating device includes at least one controllable striker which is capable of unlocking the jaw in such a way as to cause the cap to be ejected from the duct and to uncover the orifice.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a scram jet engine for use with a hypersonic vehicle. The scram jet engine has an upper boundary wall, a lower boundary wall, and a plurality of side walls defining an inner air flowpath. The walls are formed by a plurality of tubular heat exchanger panels. Each of the heat exchanger panels comprises a plurality of structural panels, each having a plurality of cooling passages, joined together. In the scram jet engine of the present invention, fuel may be used as a coolant and supplied to the cooling passage.

Abstract: A ramjet powered device 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 an inner central recirculation zone, both of which 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 and stabilizes flame propagation and accelerates combustion throughout the entire combustor. The swirl generator provides smooth combustion with no instabilities and minimum total pressure losses and enables significant reductions in the L/D ratio of the combustor. Other benefits include simplicity, reliability, wide flammability limits and high combustion efficiency and thrust performance.

Abstract: Shut-off system for an orifice of a duct, particularly for an orifice of an air inlet passage that allows air into the combustion chamber of a ramjet.

Abstract: A blanking-plug system for blanking off an orifice of a pipe, particularly for blanking off an orifice of a duct for introducing air into the combustion chamber of a ramjet.

Abstract: According to the invention, the wall (5) is mounted movably as one so as to be able to slide longitudinally in translation, bringing the joint line (14) closer to the fuel injector (9) so as progressively to modify the geometries of the oxidant inlet (16) and of the combustion chamber (15), said geometries passing progressively from a first state (I) in which, for a Mach number lying between 1.5 and 3, said oxidant inlet (16) constricts said oxidant flow only slightly and the combustion chamber (15) is long and divergent, to a second state (III) in which, for a Mach number lying between 8 and 12, said oxidant inlet (16) strongly constricts said oxidant flow and said combustion chamber (15) is shorter and exhibits a constant cross section.

Abstract: A turbojet engine with improved thrust and high-altitude capabilities. Arrangements are provided for injecting liquid oxygen or other oxidizer into the turbojet engine before the compressor section. Cooling the incoming air by the liquid oxygen reduces the air volume, which allows a fixed inlet to be matched to varying flow conditions, allowing a greater mass of air to be ingested by the compressor section and results in a lower compressor outlet temperature. Increased mass flow, combined with more fuel results in higher exhaust gas temperatures and greater thrust. The addition of oxygen to the inlet air flow allows the engine to operate at higher altitudes by preventing flameout due to rarefied air.

Abstract: In an integral rocket-ramjet engine the air intake ports are covered with a port cover made of a laminate of Pd and Al. This port cover is rapidly consumed in the brief period between the end of the rocket mode and commencement of the ramjet mode to allow ingress of ram air for the ramjet engine.

Abstract: The ejector based engine is, as an example in an ejector ramjet engine, a propulsion duct having normal augmented ramjet elements of an inlet, mixer, diffuser, combustor and exit nozzle that allow operating velocities from zero to hypersonic. At the upstream end of the mixer an injector assembly is mounted in the fluid flow path to form an ejector. The injector assembly has one or more injector rings which have alternatively offset injector exhaust nozzles or slots to direct fluid toward the engine internal wall or the engine longitudinal axis respectively to improve fluid mixing for use of a shorter mixer section. The supply of fluid to the injector exhaust nozzles may be by fuel flow pumps and other elements connected to injector chambers in the injector ring or by an injector combustor external to the mixer.

Abstract: A rotary ramjet engine with rapidly replaceable rotating cartridge. A rotary ramjet engine is provided operating with replaceable rotating cartridge. The rotating cartridge includes a rotor and shaft mounted for rotary motion with respect to an engine case, and a first and second bearing package. The engine has an inlet duct assembly including bearing support structures from which the rotating cartridge is rotatably supported. A hot section assembly is sealingly but releaseably affixed to the inlet duct assembly. By disengaging the hot section assembly from the inlet duct assembly, and moving the hot section assembly from an operating position to an inspection position along a convenient slide track, space is provided for inspection and/or removal and reinstallation of the rotating cartridge.

Abstract: A rotary ramjet engine generator set with impulse turbine. A rotary ramjet engine is provided operating with a very low axial flow component. The engine has a closely housed rotor and shaft mounted for rotary motion with respect to an engine case. An impulse turbine is mechanically coupled on a common shaft with a rotary ramjet engine. By properly setting the turbine rotating speed with respect to ramjet rotor rotating speed, the kinetic energy of the exhaust gas from the ramjet engine is efficiently captured by the turbine. In one embodiment, the turbine is mechanically coupled, via a planetary gear set, to the output shaft of the rotary ramjet engine. The impulse turbine includes a disc to which turbine blades are affixed, and an annular housing which connects the annular disc with a central body having a circular ring gear on the inside wall thereof. The ring gear meshingly engages a plurality of planetary gears, each of which are fixed with respect to the engine casing of the rotary ramjet engine.

Abstract: A family of supersonic injectors for use on spaceplanes, rockets and missiles and the like is disclosed and claimed. Each injector maintains a specific constant (uniform) Mach number along its length when used while being minimally intrusive at significantly higher injectant pressure than combustor freestream total pressure. Each injector is substantially non-intrusive when it is not being used. The injectors may be used individually or in a group. Different orientations of the injectors in a group promotes greater penetration and mixing of fuel or oxidizer into a supersonic combustor. The injectors can be made from single piece of Aluminum, investment cast metal, or ceramic or they can be made from starboard and port blocks strapped together to accurately control the throat area. Each injector includes an elongated body having an opening which in cross section is an hour glass (venturi shaped) and the opening diverges in width and depth from the bow section to the stem section of the opening.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for enhancing fluid mixing. The method comprises the following: (a) configuring a duct to have an effective outer wall, an effective inner wall, a cross-sectional shape, a first cross-sectional area and an exit area, the first cross-sectional area and the exit area being different in size; (b) generating a first flow at the first cross-sectional area, the first flow having a total pressure and a speed equal to or greater than a local speed of sound; and (c) generating a positive streamwise pressure gradient in a second flow in proximity of the exit area. The second flow results from the first flow. Fluid mixing is enhanced downstream from the duct exit area.