Rotating Detonation Combustor with Bluff Body Flameholder

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current air-breathing propulsion systems, such as ramjets and scramjets, face challenges in achieving efficient combustion and thrust generation across a wide range of speeds, particularly at high altitudes and varying operating conditions, due to limitations in compressing air and stabilizing flames.

Innovation Solution

The integration of a rotation detonation combustor (RDC) system and a bluff body flameholder system, which generates rotating detonation waves to ignite a fuel-air mixture and create a recirculation zone, enhancing combustion stability and efficiency by leveraging shock waves and reducing pressure losses.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stress or pressure

If traditional jet engines use compressors to compress air, then air compression is effective, but the engine complexity and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveair compressionVSAvoidengine complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stress or pressureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the compressor component from the engine system entirely, replacing it with a scramjet-based compression system that uses forward motion and shock waves to compress air, thereby reducing engine complexity while maintaining compression functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical compressor system is replaced with an aerodynamic compression system using shock waves and forward motion, substituting mechanical compression with fluid dynamic compression to reduce moving parts and complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Device complexity

If scramjets use shock waves to compress air, then engine complexity is reduced, but combustion stability becomes difficult to maintain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine complexityVSAvoidcombustion stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A bluff body flameholder is introduced as an intermediary component that creates a recirculation zone to stabilize the combustion process, mediating between the shock wave compression and the fuel injection to ensure stable burning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses pneumatic principles by utilizing shock waves and recirculation zones created by the bluff body to control and stabilize the combustion process without mechanical moving parts

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Use of energy by moving object

If fuel is injected into compressed air in traditional engines, then combustion is achieved, but pressure losses occur reducing efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidpressure losses

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Air is pre-compressed by the scramjet system before fuel injection occurs, ensuring that combustion takes place in a high-pressure environment that improves efficiency while minimizing pressure losses during the combustion process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Speed

If ramjets operate at high speeds above Mach 3, then propulsion efficiency is improved, but significant initial speed is required to operate effectively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepropulsion speedVSAvoidoperational reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses variable geometry components including movable ramps and adjustable shock generators that can change their configuration to optimize performance across different speed regimes, allowing reliable operation from subsonic to supersonic speeds

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration improves scalability, reduces burning length, and enhances thrust generation by stabilizing flames and promoting efficient combustion, allowing for reliable propulsion across a wide range of speeds and altitudes.

Implementation Method 1

A liquid fuel and an oxidizer are injected axially into the annular detonation chamber and ignited to begin a spinning detonation wave. The temperature and pressure increase across the spinning wave is generated by detonation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDetonation: Detonation

Implementation Method 2

These systems include a bluff body, which is a solid object that is placed in the path of a fuel and air mixture, and which creates a recirculation zone that enhances mixing and reduces the flame's propensity to blow out

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRecirculation flow: Turbulence

Implementation Method 3

A scramjet is a type of propulsion system used in supersonic flight that operates by compressing incoming air using a series of shock waves before mixing the compressed air with fuel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShock wave: Shock Wave

Data Source

PatentUS12037962B1Airbreathing propulsion engines including rotating detonation and bluff body systems

Publication Date: 2024.07.16 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO

AI summary

A high-speed, air-breathing propulsion engine includes an inlet configured to compress incoming air, a fuel injector configured to supply a fuel for mixing with the compressed incoming air to form a fuel-air mixture, and a combustor configured to burn the fuel-air mixture. The combustor includes a rotation detonation combustor system and a bluff body system that cooperate to generate thrust.