Piezo-resonance igniter and ignition method for propellant liquid rocket engine
First Claim
1. An ignition system for a combustor comprising:
- a resonance system;
a piezoelectric system driven by said resonance system; and
an igniter powered by said piezoelectric system,said resonance system in communication with said piezoelectric system through a gas resonance tube, said gas resonance tube sealed with a force transmission diaphragm, a force transfer member in contact with said force transmission diaphragm, said force transfer member includes a force transfer rod and a force transfer platen, said force transfer platen in contact with said force transmission diaphragm and said force transfer rod in contact with a piezoelectric crystal stack.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ignition system for a rocket engine utilizes the pressure energy in a propellant flow. The propellant flow generates an oscillating pressure force in a resonance system which is then transmitted to a piezoelectric system. The electrical pulses are utilized to generate a spark in an igniter system spark gap, resulting in ignition. Since the spark energy production is driven by the resonance of the propellant flow, a fully passive auto-ignition system is provided. Once ignition occurs, the resultant backpressure in the combustion chamber “detunes” the resonance phenomena and spark production stops. Furthermore, should the engine flame out, spark production would automatically resume as the propellant valves remain open thereby providing relight capability.
96 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An ignition system for a combustor comprising:
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a resonance system; a piezoelectric system driven by said resonance system; and an igniter powered by said piezoelectric system, said resonance system in communication with said piezoelectric system through a gas resonance tube, said gas resonance tube sealed with a force transmission diaphragm, a force transfer member in contact with said force transmission diaphragm, said force transfer member includes a force transfer rod and a force transfer platen, said force transfer platen in contact with said force transmission diaphragm and said force transfer rod in contact with a piezoelectric crystal stack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 19, 20, 24)
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12. A combustor device comprising:
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a combustor; a working fluid system in communication with said combustor; a resonance system in communication with said working fluid system; a piezoelectric system driven by said resonance system; an igniter system powered by said piezoelectric system to ignite a working fluid from said working fluid system; a force transfer member in communication with said resonance system, said force transfer member driven by an oscillating pressure force within said resonance system; a force transmission diaphragm in contact with said force transfer member; and a piezoelectric crystal stack in contact with said force transfer member. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23)
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17. A method of igniting a combustion device comprising the steps of:
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(A) communicating a working fluid to a resonance system to generate a resonance; (B) driving a piezoelectric system with the resonance generated in said step (A), wherein said step (B) further comprises; (a) driving a force transmission diaphragm with the resonance; (b) driving a force transfer member in contact with the force transmission diaphragm; and (c) driving a piezoelectric crystal stack with the force transfer member; and (c) powering an igniter with the piezoelectric system. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification