Patent ID: 7168236
Filing Date: 2007-01-30
Classification: F23C,F23R,Y02T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: at least one core turbojet engine, each core turbojet engine having a low pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustor, and a turbine; at least one ramjet engine coupled to the at least one core turbojet engine, each ramjet engine having an air inlet, a swirl generator, a ramjet combustor and a nozzle, the swirl generator being coupled to the air inlet and being operable for converting an oxidizer flow into a three-dimensional flowfield that includes a tangential velocity component, the swirl generator including a flow defining means and a fueling means, the flow defining means being operable for effecting both an outer recirculation zone and a central recirculation zone in the ramjet combustor, the outer recirculation zone being toroidal in shape, the central recirculation zone being disposed inwardly of the outer recirculation zone, the fueling means being operable for fueling the outer and central recirculation zones, wherein heat and combustion by-products produced during combustion in the ramjet combustor are carried upstream by the outer and central recirculation zones where the heat and combustion by-products are employed to continuously ignite a combustible fuel/oxidizer mixture in a shear layer adjacent each of the outer and central recirculation zones, which accelerate propagation of the flame into and throughout the core flowfield; and a flow controller coupled to the at least one core turbojet engine and the at least one ramjet engine, the flow controller having at least one forward moveable element and at least one aft moveable element, the at least one forward moveable element being movable between a first position, in which the air intake of the at least one ramjet engine is closed and atmospheric air is permitted to flow into the low pressure compressor of the at least one core turbojet engine, and a second position in which atmospheric air is not permitted to flow into the lower pressure compressor of the at least one core turbojet engine and the air intake of the at least one ramjet engine is open, the at least one aft moveable element being movable between a first position, in which an exit of the nozzle is closed and an exit of the at least one core turbojet engine is open to permit exhaust gas to flow therethrough, and a second position in which the exit of the nozzle is open and the exit of the at least one core turbojet engine is closed.