Ignition system for combustible gases or liquids

• US 4,286,431 A
• Filed: 03/28/1979
• Issued: 09/01/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Societe Nationale dEtude et de Construction de Moteurs dAviation SNECMA (Safran SA)
• Original Assignee: Societe Europeenne de Propulsion
• Inventors: Krassoulia, Georges, Reichard, Michel
• Primary Examiner(s): Garrett, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US06/024,676
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 60/39.82 E, 60/39.82 P, 60/258, 431/133, 431/269-272
• US Class Current: 60/39.823
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/10 Initiators therefor percussion fuzes F42C7/00; percussion caps F42C19/10; electric primers F42C19/12
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/0834 Arrangements of a multiplicity of primers or detonators dispersed within a propellant charge for increased efficiency

Abstract

The invention relates to an ignition system comprising an igniter constituted by a receptacle, an ignition initiator disposed at one end of said receptacle, and a solid charge placed inside the receptacle, the solid charge comprising pyrotechnic compositions and reactive divided metals capable of reacting with one another exothermically, which compositions successively comprise, from the end of the receptacle carrying the initiator, a pyrotechnic ejection composition, a pyrotechnic ignition composition, and reactive divided metals respectively of decreasing activity, wherein the igniter is associated with a combustion chamber containing a fluid constituted by liquid products or formed by mixtures of gases and of liquids or of solid particles, to ensure, by projection of said solid charge within said fluid, the heating or ignition of said fluid.

Claims

1. An ignition system comprising an igniter, constituted by a receptacle, an ignition initiator disposed at one end of said receptacle, and a solid charge placed inside the receptacle, the solid charge comprising pyrotechnic compositions and reactive divided metals capable of reacting with one another exothermically, said compositions successively comprising, from the end of the receptacle carrying the initiator, a pyrotechnic ejection composition, a pyrotechnic ignition composition, and reactive divided metals respectively of decreasing activity, wherein;

the igniter is associated with a combustion chamber containing a fluid constituted by liquid products or formed by mixtures of gases and liquids or solid particles, to ensure, by projection of said solid charge within said fluid, the heating or ignition of said fluid.

2. The ignition system of claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber is closed.

3. The ignition system of claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber is open and has currents of said fluid passing therethrough.

4. The ignition system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of igniters of the same type, associated with the same combustion chamber.

5. The ignition system of claim 1, wherein the igniter is disposed on a supply conduit of the combustion chamber and projects the pyrotechnic products that it generates in the direction of main flow of the fluid circulating in said conduit.

6. The ignition system of claim 1, wherein the igniter is disposed on a supply conduit of the combustion chamber and projects the pyrotechnic products that it generates in zones of lower speed of flow of the supply conduit to give the pyrotechnic products ejected a different path from that of the main flow.

7. The ignition system of claim 1, wherein it comprises a single igniter associated with a combustion chamber provided with a plurality of fluid supply conduits, and oriented so as to project the pyrotechnic products that it generates in the direction of the zone of vortical mixture within the chamber.

8. The ignition system of claim 1, wherein the igniter is disposed with respect to the wall of the combustion chamber so as to project the pyrotechnic products that it generates in the direction of flow of the fluid to be ignited,

said igniter comprises, for limiting the speed of ejection of said pyrotechnic products, a tube mounted axially in the receptacle in line with the initiator, extending over a part of the portion of the igniter comprising the pyrotechnic ignition composition, having a diameter smaller than said portion of igniter and opening within said pyrotechnic ignition composition,

and said igniter comprises a proportion of ejection composition reduced to a negligible or zero quantity.

9. The ignition system of claim 1, wherein the igniter is disposed with respect to the wall of the combustion chamber so as to project the pyrotechnic products that it generates in an inclined and preferably transverse direction with respect to the direction of flow of the fluid to be ignited and

said igniter comprises, to limit the speed of ejection of said pyrotechnic products a tube mounted axially in the receptacle in line with the initiator and the ejection composition, extending over a small part of the portion of the igniter comprising the pyrotechnic ignition composition, having a diameter smaller than said portion of igniter and opening within said pyrotechnic ignition composition.

10. The ignition system of claim 1, wherein the igniter is disposed with respect to the wall of the combustion chamber, on the nozzle side of said chamber, so as to project the pyrotechnic products that it generate in counter-current in the direction opposite the direction of flow of the fluid to be ignited.

11. An ignition system comprising a plurality of igniters, each constituted by a receptacle, an ignition initiator disposed at one end of said receptacle, and a solid charge placed inside the receptacle, the solid charge comprising pyrotechnic compositions and reactive divided metals capable of reacting with one another exothermically, said compositions successively comprising, from the end of the receptacle carrying the initiator, a pyrotechnic ejection composition, a pyrotechnic ignition composition, and reactive divided metals respectively of decreasing activity, wherein said igniters are associated with a common combustion chamber containing a fluid constituted by liquid products or formed by mixtures of gases and liquids or solid particles, to ensure, by projection of said solid charge within said fluid, the heating or ignition of said fluid and wherein at least one igniter is disposed on a supply conduit of the combustion chamber and projects the pyrotechnic products that it generates substantially in the direction of main flow of the fluid circulating in said conduit.

12. The ignition system of claim 11, wherein at least one igniter is disposed on a supply conduit of the combustion chamber and projects the pyrotechnic products that it generates in zones of lower speed of flow of the supply conduit to give the pyrotechnic products ejected a different path from that of the main flow.

13. The ignition system of claim 11, wherein at least one igniter is disposed with respect to the wall of the combustion chamber so as to project the pyrotechnic products that it generates in an inclined and preferably transverse direction with respect to the direction of flow of the liquid to be ignited, and said at least one igniter comprises, to limit the speed of ejection of said pyrotechnic products, a tube mounted axially in the receptacle in line with the initiator and the ejection composition, extending over a small part of the portion of said at least one igniter comprising the pyrotechnic ignition composition, having a diameter smaller than said portion of said at least one igniter and opening within said pyrotechnic ignition composition.

14. The ignition system of claim 11, wherein at least one igniter is disposed with respect to the wall of the combustion chamber, on the nozzle side of said chamber, so as to project the pyrotechnic products that it generates in counter-current in the direction opposite the direction of flow of the fluid to be ignited.