IP Library Granted Patent US 12,292,199
Granted Patent B2
US 12,292,199 · App. 18/213,571 · Granted May 6, 2025

Turbulence generator mixer for rotating detonation engine

Inventors: Zhongtao Dai (West Hartford, CT); Peter A T Cocks (South Glastonbury, CT)
Assignee: RTX Corporation
F23R7/00F02C5/00F02C5/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,292,199
App. No.
18/213,571
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A combustor for a rotating detonation engine includes a radially outer wall extending along an axis (A); a radially inner wall extending along the axis (A), wherein the radially inner wall is positioned within the radially outer wall to define an annular detonation chamber having an inlet for fuel and oxidant and an outlet; a first passage for feeding at least one of the fuel and the oxidant along a first passage axis (a 1 ) to the inlet; a second passage for feeding at least one of the fuel and the oxidant along a second passage axis (a 2 ) to the inlet, wherein the second passage axis is arranged at an angle (α) relative to the first passage axis whereby mixing of flow from the first passage and the second passage is induced.

Claims (10)

1. A combustor for a rotating detonation engine, the combustor comprising:

a radially outer wall extending along an axis;

a radially inner wall extending along the axis, wherein the radially inner wall is positioned within the radially outer wall to define an annular detonation chamber having an inlet for fuel and oxidant and an outlet;

a flow passage for feeding oxidant to the inlet; and

a wall defined across a flow area of the inlet and an array of holes defined in the wall to induce turbulence to oxidant flowing through the array, wherein the array of holes are oriented along an array axis, wherein the flow passage comprises a first flow passage having a first passage axis and a second flow passage having a second passage axis, and wherein the array axis is oriented to the first passage axis or the second passage axis at an angle (β1) of between 10 and 30 degrees.

2. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the array of holes comprises a first portion of holes oriented along a first array axis oriented relative to the first passage axis or the second passage axis at a first portion angle (β1) of between 10 and 30 degrees, and the array of holes comprises a second portion of holes oriented along a second array axis oriented relative to the first passage axis or the second passage axis at a second portion angle (β2) of between 10 and 30 degrees, and wherein the first portion angle and the second portion angle are oppositely angled relative to the first passage axis or the second passage axis.

3. The combustor of claim 2 , further comprising a splitter separating the first portion of holes from the second portion of holes.

4. The combustor of claim 3 , wherein the splitter separates the first portion of holes radially from the second portion of holes.

5. The combustor of claim 1 , further comprising additional holes downstream of the wall for introducing additional oxidant to the flow passage.

6. The combustor of claim 1 , wherein the fuel is fed to the flow passage through a fuel injector port, and wherein the fuel injector port is located downstream of the wall.

Assignments (1)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064402/0837 →
Continuity (2)
Division 17225500 · Apr 8, 2021
Related Publication 20240011637A1 · Jan 11, 2024
References Cited (35)
US 3872664A · Lohmann · 1975 [cited by examiner]
US 5129231A · Becker · 1992 [cited by examiner]
US 5297385A · Dubell · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 5307637A · Stickles · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 5335491A · Barbier · 1994 [cited by examiner]
US 5749219A · DuBell · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 6201029B1 · Waycuilis · 2001 [cited by examiner]
US 6546733B2 · North · 2003 [cited by examiner]
US 6955053B1 · Chen · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 7278256B2 · Norris et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7506512B2 · Schumacher · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 8677757B2 · Sadig · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8683780B2 · Shimo · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 8938970B2 · Gerendas · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 20040123582A1 · Norris et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20060254254A1 · Saddoughi et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060260291A1 · Vandervort · 2006 [cited by examiner]
US 20070180810A1 · Chapin · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20100186370A1 · Daniau · 2010 [cited by examiner]
US 20120131899A1 · Brumberg · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20140007581A1 · Tuthill · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20180080412A1 · Mizener et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180156463A1 · Dai · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180163629A1 · Proscia · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180274439A1 · Holley et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20180335214A1 · Strickland · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190086086A1 · Tangirala et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190128529A1 · Tangirala et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20200070961A1 · Rathay · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200149743A1 · Singh et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210025323A1 · Nakao · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210095849A1 · Asai · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210140641A1 · Singh · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210164660A1 · Dyson et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20240077028A1 · Greene · 2024 [cited by examiner]