Patent ID: 6314719
Filing Date: 2001-11-13
Classification: F02C,F02K

Abstract:
A propulsion engine system having a combustion chamber combusting a fuel and a hydrogen peroxide oxidizer, including an ignition device comprising:a) an optical source producing light having physical characteristics sufficient to optically drive chemical dissociation of a hydrogen peroxide oxidizer, said source being a laser and a wavelength conversion device operably associated with said laser for changing the laser output light from an original output wavelength to a shorter wavelength which is optimized for the dissociation of the oxidizer;b) an optical delivery system comprising an input wavelength selecting filter providing optical delivery of light from said optical source to said combustion chamber, whereininitiation of combustion is produced by a non-linear, optical interaction of said produced light with the fuel and the hydrogen peroxide oxidizer present in the combustion chamber, thereby leading to molecular dissociation of the hydrogen peroxide oxidizer such that there is initiation of combustion.