Patent US4452039A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4452039A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Expendable infrared source and method therefor
Assignee: United States Department of the Navy
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Filing: 1983-07-06
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Granted: 1984-06-05
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Expires: 2003-07-06
Abstract
Abstract An IR source and method for generating IR radiation whereby a propellant is burned in a first chamber to produce a product gas which is exited through a critical exit, is accelerated to a supersonic velocity by expanding into a second chamber, is passed through a standing shock wave in the chamber to reduce the gas velocity to a subsonic level, is exited through radial orifices into a larger third chamber where the gas is mixed to obtain a substantial uniformity in temperature and specie, is accelerated by expansion to a chosen subsonic velocity, and is exhausted to the atmosphere.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry L. Hodgkins
- 👤 John K. Reingruber
- 👤 Kenneth E. Harwell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:12
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41J; F41J2/00; F41J2/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
An infrared-radiation source for simulating the plume produced by a reactive engine which comprises: a combustion chamber wherein an energetic composition is reacted to produce a hot, high-pressure product gas, said chamber having a critical exit, thereby enabling the combustion process to be controlled by the rocket motor design; a supersonic diffuser means in communication through said critical exit with said combustion chamber, whereby the velocity of said product gas is reduced to a subsonic level; a plenum chamber in communication with said supersonic diffuser means wherein the gas-flow streams of said product gas exiting from said supersonic diffuser means are mixed, said plenum chamber having an exhaust means for exhausting said product gas to the atmosphere.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
An infrared-radiation source for simulating the plume produced by a reactive engine which comprises: a combustion chamber wherein an energetic composition is reacted to produce a hot, high-pressure product gas, said chamber having a critical exit, thereby enabling the combustion process to be controlled by the rocket motor design; a supersonic diffuser means in communication through said critical exit with said combustion chamber, whereby the velocity of said product gas is reduced to a subsonic level; a plenum chamber in communication with said supersonic diffuser means wherein the gas-flow streams of said product gas exiting from said supersonic diffuser means are mixed, said plenum chamber having an exhaust means for exhausting said product gas to the atmosphere.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 1 wherein said supersonic diffuser means comprises a substantially cylindrical chamber having a plurality of radial orifices near the end opposite to said critical exit, said orifices being sized for evacuating said product gas and producing a standing shock wave in said chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 2 wherein said orifices are sized to produce a standing shock wave in said chamber at or near the point of maximum velocity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 2 wherein the L/D ratio of said chamber is from 2:1 to 5:1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 3 wherein the L/D ratio of said chamber is from 2:1 to 5:1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 2 wherein said plenum chamber is sized so that the transit time of said product gas is from about 0.1 msec to about 4 msec.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 5 wherein said plenum chamber is sized so that the transit time of said product gas is from about 0.1 msec to about msec.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 6 wherein said exhaust means is sized so that said product gas is exhausted from the plenum chamber at a subsonic velocity, thereby producing a shock-free plume of predictable IR intensity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 7 wherein said exhaust means is sized so that said product gas is exhausted from the plenum chamber at a subsonic volocity, thereby producing a shock-free plume of predictable IR intensity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 8 wherein said exhaust means is sized so that said product gas is exhausted at a velocity approximately equal to that of said infrared-radiation source in motion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The infrared-radiation source of claim 9 wherein said exhaust means is sized so that said product gas is exhausted at a velocity approximately equal to that of said infrared-radiation source in motion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
99 words
A process for generating IR radiation to simulate the plume produced by a reactive engine which comprises: combusting an energetic composition in an enclosure to produce a product gas; exiting said product gas from said enclosure at Mach 1; accelerating said product gas to a supersonic velocity; passing said product gas through a standing shock wave to reduce the velocity of said product gas to a subsonic velocity and to reduce the stagnation pressure of said product gas, mixing said product gas to obtain a substantially uniform temperature and specie distribution, and exhausting said product gas to the atmosphere.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
99 words
A process for generating IR radiation to simulate the plume produced by a reactive engine which comprises: combusting an energetic composition in an enclosure to produce a product gas; exiting said product gas from said enclosure at Mach 1; accelerating said product gas to a supersonic velocity; passing said product gas through a standing shock wave to reduce the velocity of said product gas to a subsonic velocity and to reduce the stagnation pressure of said product gas, mixing said product gas to obtain a substantially uniform temperature and specie distribution, and exhausting said product gas to the atmosphere.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the supersonic velocity of said product gas is at Mach 2.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the supersonic velocity of said product gas is at least Mach 3.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 14 wherein said gas is exhausted to the atmosphere at a subsonic velocity.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 14 wherein said gas is exhausted to the atmosphere at approximately the same velocity as that of said infrared-radiation device in motion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-06-05 | 1987-12-05 | 1988-06-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-06-05 | 1991-12-05 | 1992-06-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-06-05 | 1995-12-05 | 1996-06-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |