US5513489A — Rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 237 words

A rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine, comprising; at least two detonation chambers, each having an inlet end and an outlet end and further including means for preventing heat degradation of said chambers; a fuel manifold for supplying fuel from a fuel source to said at least two detonation chambers at said inlet ends; an inlet air duct manifold for supplying air to said at least two detonation chambers at said inlet ends; a means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave in said at least two detonation chambers; and a rotor disk valve having at least one opening and at least one solid portion, wherein said rotor disk valve is positioned between said inlet ends of said at least two detonation chambers and said fuel and inlet air duct manifolds, wherein said rotor disk valve rotates so that said opening is positioned over said inlet end of one of said at least two detonation chambers to allow fuel and air to enter said one of said at least two detonation chambers, and wherein said rotor disk valve further rotates so that said solid portion is positioned over said inlet end of said one of said at least two detonation chambers so that said fuel and air inside said one of said at least two detonation chambers can be detonated by said means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 237 words

A rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine, comprising; at least two detonation chambers, each having an inlet end and an outlet end and further including means for preventing heat degradation of said chambers; a fuel manifold for supplying fuel from a fuel source to said at least two detonation chambers at said inlet ends; an inlet air duct manifold for supplying air to said at least two detonation chambers at said inlet ends; a means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave in said at least two detonation chambers; and a rotor disk valve having at least one opening and at least one solid portion, wherein said rotor disk valve is positioned between said inlet ends of said at least two detonation chambers and said fuel and inlet air duct manifolds, wherein said rotor disk valve rotates so that said opening is positioned over said inlet end of one of said at least two detonation chambers to allow fuel and air to enter said one of said at least two detonation chambers, and wherein said rotor disk valve further rotates so that said solid portion is positioned over said inlet end of said one of said at least two detonation chambers so that said fuel and air inside said one of said at least two detonation chambers can be detonated by said means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 60 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, further comprising: a manifold mounting plate connected to said fuel manifold and said inlet air duct manifold; and a combustor mounting plate connected to said at least two detonation chambers; wherein said rotor disk valve is positioned for rotation between said manifold mounting plate and said combustor mounting plate.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 51 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, further comprising a bearing system positioned on a side of said rotor disk valve facing away from said at least two detonation chambers, wherein forces from said detonation chambers on said rotor disk valve are transferred through said bearing system.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 106 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, wherein said fuel manifold ends in an individual fuel port for each detonation chamber and said inlet air duct manifold ends in an individual air port for each detonation chamber and wherein said individual fuel port has an extent in one direction less than an extent of said individual air port so that when said opening of said rotor disk valve closes said individual fuel port, said individual air port remains open; so that air but not fuel is introduced into said detonation chamber to create an air buffer after said detonation chamber is fueled.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 115 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, wherein said fuel manifold ends in an individual fuel port for each detonation chamber and said inlet air duct manifold ends in an individual air port for each detonation chamber and wherein said individual fuel port has an extent in one direction less than an extent of said individual air port, so that when said opening of said rotor disk valve opens said inlet end of said detonation chamber, said individual air port is open but said individual fuel port remains closed so that air but not fuel is introduced into said detonation chamber to purge said detonation chamber of any remaining burned gases.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 27 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, wherein said means for preventing heat degradation of said detonation chambers is a passive cooling means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 34 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 6, wherein said passive cooling means is an ablative passive means comprising an ablative liner disposed on the interior surface of said detonation chambers.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 50 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 7, wherein said ablative passive means in an ablative material selected from the group of materials consisting of phenolic-based materials, silica phenolic, graphite phenolic, asbestos phenolic graphite, cloth phenolic impregnated, refrasil, epoxy-based materials, ablative plastics, pyrolytic graphite, and combinations thereof.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 27 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, wherein said means for preventing heat degradation of said detonation chamber is an active cooling means.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 27 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 9, wherein said active cooling means is adapted to circulate a cooling medium around said detonation chambers.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 43 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 10, wherein said active cooling means consists of a sleeve disposed concentrically around each said detonation chamber, said cooling sleeve and detonation chamber forming an annular region through which said cooling medium flows.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 29 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 10, wherein said active cooling means consists of a tube wrapped around the detonation chamber in a helical manner.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 26 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 10, wherein said cooling medium is the same as the fuel used to power said engine.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 28 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, wherein said means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave comprises a spark plug.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 54 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, further comprising an oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer source and wherein said means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave comprises a separate pre-detonation tube which is supplied with an oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer from said oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer source.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 71 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, further comprising an oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer source for supplying an oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer to said detonation chambers and wherein said means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave comprises a separate pre-detonation region within said detonation chambers created by supplying said and/or fuel sensitizer from said oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer source to said detonation chambers.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 28 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, further comprising a diverging nozzle connected to said outlet ends of said at least two detonation chambers.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 20 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1 wherein said fuel source contains a fuel sensitizer additive.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 125 words

A pulse detonation engine comprising: at least one detonation chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, and further comprising means for preventing fuel oxidizer autoignition and heat degradation of said chamber, said inlet end comprising an injector head having a plurality of openings therein, said openings adapted to act as: an inlet fuel manifold for supplying fuel from a fuel source directly to said at least one detonation chamber; and an oxidizer manifold for supplying an oxidizer to said at least one detonation chamber; a fuel source; an inlet air duct manifold for supplying air directly to said at least one detonation chamber; and a means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave in said at least one detonation chamber.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 125 words

A pulse detonation engine comprising: at least one detonation chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, and further comprising means for preventing fuel oxidizer autoignition and heat degradation of said chamber, said inlet end comprising an injector head having a plurality of openings therein, said openings adapted to act as: an inlet fuel manifold for supplying fuel from a fuel source directly to said at least one detonation chamber; and an oxidizer manifold for supplying an oxidizer to said at least one detonation chamber; a fuel source; an inlet air duct manifold for supplying air directly to said at least one detonation chamber; and a means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave in said at least one detonation chamber.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 52 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 19, wherein said injector head has at least three openings, one of said openings adapted to act as said inlet fuel manifold; one of said openings adapted to act as said inlet air duct manifold; and,one of said openings adapted to act as said oxidant inlet.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 24 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 19, wherein said means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave comprises a spark plug.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 50 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 19, further comprising an oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer source and wherein said means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave comprises a separate pre-detonation tube which is supplied with an oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer from said oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer source.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 68 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 19, further comprising an oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer source for supplying an oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer to said detonation chamber and wherein said means for initiating a pulsed supersonic shock wave-triggered detonation combustion wave comprises a separate pre-detonation region within said detonation chamber created by supplying said oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer from said oxidizer and/or fuel sensitizer source to said detonation chamber.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 18 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 19, further comprising means for preventing heat degradation of said detonation chamber.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 23 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 24, wherein said means for preventing heat degradation of said detonation chamber is a passive cooling means.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 30 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 25, wherein said passive cooling means is an ablative passive means comprising an ablative liner disposed on the interior surface of said detonation chamber.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 46 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 26, wherein said ablative means is an ablative passive material selected from the group of materials consisting of phenolic-based materials, silica phenolic, graphite phenolic, asbestos phenolic graphite, cloth phenolic impregnated, refrasil, epoxy-based materials, ablative plastics, pyrolytic graphite, and combinations thereof.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 23 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 24, wherein said means for preventing heat degradation of said detonation chamber is an active cooling means.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 23 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 28, wherein said active cooling means is adapted to circulate a cooling medium around said detonation chamber.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 39 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 29, wherein said active cooling means consists of a sleeve disposed concentrically around each said detonation chamber, said cooling sleeve and detonation chamber forming an annular region through which said cooling medium flows.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 25 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 29, wherein said active cooling means consists of a tube wrapped around the detonation chamber in a helical manner.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 22 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 29, wherein said cooling medium is the same as the fuel used to power said engine.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 20 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 19 wherein said fuel source contains a fuel sensitizer additive.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 18 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 33 wherein said fuel sensitizer additive is nitromethane.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 16 words

The pulse detonation engine of claim 19 wherein said fuel source contains a fuel sensitizer additive.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 20 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1 further comprising a single nozzle for each detonation tube.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 19 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, wherein said rotor valves are conical in shape.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 27 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, wherein a rotor valve exists between the said at least two detonation chambers and a nozzle.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 20 words

The rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine of claim 1, further comprising a separate nozzle for each detonation tube.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-05-07	1999-11-06	2000-05-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-05-07	2003-11-06	2004-05-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-05-07	2007-11-06	2008-05-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Rotary valve multiple combustor pulse detonation engine

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