Patent ID: 11867138
Assignee: NORTH AMERICAN WAVE ENGINE CORPORATION
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 3:
4. A method for supplying input air and increasing thrust in a pulse combustor system comprising the steps of:
providing a pulse combustor including at least a combustion chamber, an inlet pipe, an exhaust pipe, and a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the combustion chamber, and an ignition means for ignition of a combustible fuel and air mixture in the combustion chamber at least for starting the pulse combustor, with a first open end of the inlet pipe and a first open end of the exhaust pipe pointing in a first direction, and a ram air intake assembly connected to the pulse combustor, with the ram air intake assembly including at least a plenum having a first end connected to an inlet pipe end of the combustion chamber and extending therefrom in the first direction past the first open end of the inlet pipe to form a second open end of the plenum, a diffuser duct in fluid communication with the plenum having a first open end open to atmospheric air pointing in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction and having a first cross-sectional area, the diffuser duct further comprising a second open end having a cross-sectional area greater than the first open end of the diffuser duct, and connected to, and in fluid communication with, the plenum, and a diffuser duct body that has a divergent shape from the first open end of the diffuser duct to the second open end of the diffuser duct, and an augmenter having a first open end connected to, and in fluid communication with, the second open end of the plenum and the augmenter having a second open end facing in the first direction and open to atmospheric air, and an augmenter body that diverges from the first open end of the augmenter to the second open end of the augmenter;
A. moving the pulse combustor in the second direction and ingressing atmospheric air into the diffuser duct through the first open end of the diffuser duct and exiting atmospheric air from the second open end of the diffuser duct into the plenum, with the exiting air having a decreased velocity and an increased static pressure compared to a velocity and static pressure of the atmospheric air ingressing the diffuser duct through the first open end of the diffuser duct and inputting the decreased velocity and increased static pressure atmospheric air into the second open end of the inlet pipe for mixing with fluid for causing a combustion event when ignited by the ignition means or residual combustion products for a previous combustion event; and
B. expelling combustion gas streams from the first open end of the inlet pipe in the first direction into and through the first open end of the plenum into the augmenter, with the augmenter increasing thrust generated by the expelling combustion gas streams as the combustion gas streams pass through the augmenter in the first direction and exit the second open end of the augmenter.