Granted Patent B2

US 8,205,827 · App. 12/323,820 · Granted Jun 26, 2012

Abstract

Claims (73)

1. An engine for use in operating an aircraft, the engine comprising:

a decomposition chamber configured to decompose into at least one combustible constituent element a first chemically unstable substance in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the decomposition of the first chemically unstable substance releases a first amount of heat and the first combustible constituent element expands as a result of the first amount of heat;

a first turbine fluidly connected to the decomposition chamber, wherein the first turbine is configured to receive only the expanded at least one constituent combustible element and the first amount of heat from the decomposition chamber, wherein the first turbine is further configured to rotate after receiving the expanded at least one constituent combustible element;

a compressor rotationally connected to the first turbine, and configured to rotate as a result of the rotation of the first turbine, and wherein the compressor is further configured to receive air, and is further configured to compress the air as a result of the rotation of the compressor; and

a combustion chamber fluidly connected to an outlet of the first turbine and to the compressor, and wherein the combustion chamber is configured to receive and combine (i) the compressed air and (ii) the at least one combustible constituent element, and wherein the combustion chamber is further configured to combust the combined compressed air and at least one combustible constituent element, thereby generating a combustion product.

2. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein the first chemically unstable substance comprises hydrazine.

3. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one combustible constituent element comprises hydrogen.

4. The engine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a propeller;

a power turbine fluidly connected to the combustion chamber, wherein the power turbine is configured to receive the combustion product from the combustion chamber, and wherein the power turbine is configured to rotate as a result of the received combustion product; and

a shaft rotationally connected to the propeller, power turbine, and the first turbine, and wherein the shaft and propeller are configured to rotate when the power turbine and the first turbine rotates.

5. The engine according to claim 4 , wherein

the power turbine is rotationally coupled to the first turbine and the compressor, and the power turbine is configured to rotate as a result of the rotation of the first turbine.

6. The engine according to claim 4 , wherein

the power turbine further is configured to produce aircraft propulsion power after receiving the combustion product, and further wherein

the power turbine is further configured to increase and decrease production of aircraft power is proportional to a first amount of the first combustible constituent element.

7. The engine according to claim 4 , further comprising:

a gearbox, wherein the gearbox is interposed between the propeller shaft and the propeller, and wherein,

the gearbox is configured to vary the rotational speed of the propeller in relation to the rotational speed of the propeller shaft.

8. The engine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a nozzle fluidly connected to the combustion chamber, wherein the nozzle is configured to receive the combustion product and convert the combustion product into a substantially high pressure exhaust stream.

9. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein the aircraft is operated at an altitude of at least 85,000 feet above sea level.

10. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein a first mass flow in the first turbine is different from a second mass flow in the compressor.

11. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein a first mass flow in the first turbine is less than a second mass flow in the compressor.

12. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein a mixture ratio of hydrogen to air in the combustion chamber is between about 1:3 and about 1:8.

13. The engine according to claim 1 , wherein a mixture ratio of hydrogen to air in the combustion chamber is about 1:5.

14. The engine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a diffuser fluidly connected to the compressor, wherein the diffuser is configured to receive ambient air and diffuse the ambient air, and wherein

the diffuser is further configured to output the diffused air to the compressor.

15. An engine for use in operating an aircraft, comprising:

a decomposition chamber configured to decompose a chemically unstable substance in the presence of a catalyst, into a fuel, wherein the decomposition of the chemically unstable substance releases an amount of heat;

a turbine fluidly connected to the decomposition chamber, wherein the turbine is configured to receive only the decomposed chemically unstable substance and the amount of heat from the decomposition chamber, and to rotate as a result of the amount of heat;

a compressor rotationally connected to the turbine, and wherein the compressor is configured to compress air; and

a combustion chamber fluidly connected to the compressor to receive the compressed air, and fluidly connected to the decomposition chamber to receive the fuel, and wherein the combustion chamber is configured to mix the received compressed air and fuel, and is further configured to combust the fuel and compressed air mixture to produce power.

16. An engine for use in operating an aircraft, comprising:

a decomposition chamber configured to decompose into at least one combustible constituent element a chemically unstable substance in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the decomposition of the chemically unstable substance releases an amount of heat;

a turbine fluidly connected to an outlet of the decomposition chamber and configured to receive only the decomposed chemically unstable substance; and

a combustion chamber fluidly connected to an outlet of the turbine, and wherein the combustion chamber is configured to burn the at least one combustible constituent element and to produce power, and wherein an amount of the produced power is substantially directly related to the amount of heat released.

17. An engine for use in operating an aircraft, comprising:

a decomposition chamber configured to decompose into at least one combustible constituent element a chemically unstable substance in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the decomposition of the chemically unstable substance releases an amount of heat;

a turbine fluidly connected to the decomposition chamber to receive only the expanded the at least one combustible constituent element and the amount of heat from the decomposition chamber;

a compressor configured to compress ambient air; and

a combustion chamber fluidly connected to an outlet of the turbine and to the compressor, and wherein the combustion chamber is configured to receive and mix the compressed ambient air and the at least one combustible constituent element, and wherein the combustion chamber is configured to burn the mixture of the at least one combustible constituent element and the compressed air when the ambient air pressure is less than about 0.3 psi to produce power.

18. An engine for use in operating an aircraft, comprising:

a decomposition chamber configured to decompose into at least one combustible constituent element an element of a chemically unstable substance in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the decomposition of the chemically unstable substance releases an amount of heat;

a first turbine fluidly connected to the decomposition chamber, and wherein the first turbine is configured to receive only the at least one constituent element and the amount of heat from the decomposition chamber, and wherein upon receipt of the first amount of heat the first turbine is configured to rotate;

a compressor rotationally connected to the first turbine, wherein the compressor is configured to receive ambient air, and the compressor is further configured to compress the ambient air;

a combustion chamber fluidly connected to an outlet of the first turbine and to the compressor, and wherein the combustion chamber is configured to receive and combine the compressed air and the at least one constituent element from the first turbine and to combust the combination; and

a second turbine fluidly connected to the combustion chamber, and wherein the second turbine is configured to rotate and produce power as a result of the combustion of the air and the at least one constituent element, and further wherein the second turbine is configured to increase or decrease production of power in proportion to an amount of the chemically unstable substance in the decomposition chamber.

19. An aircraft operating at or above 85,000 feet above sea level, comprising:

a fuselage;

one or more lift generating surfaces attached or part of the fuselage;

one or more control surfaces, wherein the control surfaces are configured to control the aircraft in roll, spin and yaw directions; and

an engine, wherein the engine includes:

a decomposition chamber configured to decompose into at least one combustible constituent element a chemically unstable substance in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the decomposition of the chemically unstable substance releases an amount of heat, and wherein the at least one combustible constituent element expands as a result of the amount of heat;

a turbine fluidly connected to the decomposition chamber, wherein the turbine is configured to receive only the expanded at least one constituent combustible element from the decomposition chamber, wherein the turbine is further configured to rotate after receiving the expanded at least one constituent combustible element;

a compressor rotationally connected to the turbine, and configured to rotate as a result of the rotation of the turbine, and wherein the compressor is further configured to receive air, and is further configured to compress the air as a result of the rotation of the compressor; and

a combustion chamber fluidly connected to the first turbine and the compressor, and wherein the combustion chamber is configured to receive and combine the compressed air and the at least one combustible constituent element, and wherein the combustion chamber is further configured to combust the combination, thereby generating a combustion product.

20. The aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein the chemically unstable substance comprises hydrazine.

21. The aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein the at least one combustible constituent element comprises hydrogen.

22. The aircraft according to claim 19 , further comprising:

a propeller;

a power turbine fluidly connected to the combustion chamber, wherein the power turbine is configured to receive the combustion product from the combustion chamber, and wherein the power turbine is configured to rotate as a result of the received combustion product;

a shaft rotationally connected to the propeller, the power turbine, and the turbine, and wherein the shaft and propeller are configured to rotate when the power turbine and the turbine rotate;

a gearbox, wherein the gearbox is interposed between the propeller shaft and the propeller, and wherein the gearbox is configured to vary the rotational speed of the propeller in relation to the rotational speed of the propeller shaft; and

a diffuser fluidly connected to the compressor, wherein the diffuser is configured to receive ambient air and diffuse the ambient air, and wherein the diffuser is further configured to output the diffused air to the compressor.

23. The aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein the engine further comprises:

a nozzle fluidly connected to the combustion chamber, wherein the nozzle is configured to receive the combustion product and convert the combustion product into a substantially high pressure exhaust stream.

24. The aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein the aircraft is operated at an altitude of at least 85,000 feet above sea level.

25. The aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein a first mass flow in the turbine is different from a second mass flow in the compressor.

26. The aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein a first mass flow in the turbine is less than a second mass flow in the compressor.

27. The aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein a mixture ratio of hydrogen to air in the combustion chamber is between about 1:3 and about 1:8.

28. The aircraft according to claim 19 , wherein a mixture ratio of hydrogen to air in the combustion chamber is about 1:5.

Assignments (10)