초록 ▼

A nozzle for a detonative combustion engine, the engine having multiple combustor tubes, comprises a common plenum communicating with the combustor tubes. The common plenum combines separate exhaust streams from the combustor tubes into a compound subsonic exhaust stream. A compound flow throat comm

A nozzle for a detonative combustion engine, the engine having multiple combustor tubes, comprises a common plenum communicating with the combustor tubes. The common plenum combines separate exhaust streams from the combustor tubes into a compound subsonic exhaust stream. A compound flow throat communicates with the common plenum. The compound flow throat converts the compound subsonic exhaust stream into a compound sonic exhaust stream. The common plenum and compound flow throat cooperate to maintain a predetermined upstream combustor pressure regardless of down stream pressure exiting the expansion section. Optionally, an interface section is inserted between the plenum and the engine such that it communicates with the common plenum section and with outlets of the combustor tubes. The interface section is compartmentalized into flow passages with each flow passage having a cross-sectional area that increases from that of a particular nozzle intake port connected to a conductor tube exit. Additionally, an expansion section communicates with the outlet of the compound flow throat and has a diameter greater than the diameter of the compound flow throat. The expansion section converts the compound sonic exhaust stream into a compound supersonic exhaust stream thus expanding the exhaust stream to predetermined lower pressure.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [1.] A nozzle for a detonative combustion engine having multiple sequentially-fired detonative combustor tubes, each tube having an exit end through which engine exhaust gas intermitten

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [1.] A nozzle for a detonative combustion engine having multiple sequentially-fired detonative combustor tubes, each tube having an exit end through which engine exhaust gas intermittently flows outward, said nozzle comprising:a common plenum for communicating with the exit ends of the detonative combustor tubes and having a cross sectional area for engine exhaust gas flow bounded by only a single perimeter, the common plenum having a cross sectional area at least equal to the sum of cross sectional areas for exhaust gas flow of all the combustor tubes, said common plenum having an inlet end adjacent outlet ends of the combustor tubes for receiving and combining separate incoming exhaust gas streams which flow intermittently from the exit ends of each of the multiple combustor tubes the common plenum sized to produce a compound subsonic exhaust gas stream from the incoming exhaust gas streams; anda compound flow throat coupled to an exit end of the common plenum, the exit end of the a compound flow throat coupled to an exit end of the common plenum, the exit end of the plenum opposite the inlet end of the plenum, the compound flow throat in fluid communication with said common plenum and having a cross sectional area for flow of gases that is less than the cross sectional area for flow of gases at the common plenum exit end;wherein said compound flow throat is sized to choke the gas flow therethrough by converting the compound subsonic exhaust gas stream from the common plenum into a compound sonic exhaust gas stream prior to the flow exiting the compound flow throat, the choked flow allowing the pressure at the combustor tube exit ends to be maintained at a predetermined level regardless of the pressure downstream of the throat. [18.] A method of controlling the exit pressure of detonative combustor tubes of a multiple tube sequentially-fired detonative combustion engine, the method comprising:(a) combining sequentially expanded intermittent exhaust gas flows from exit ends of each of the multiple sequentially-fired detonative combustor tubes of the combustion engine in a common plenum of an exhaust nozzle to produce compound subsonic exhaust gas flow conditions;(b) constricting the combined exhaust gases in a compound throat of the exhaust nozzle to choke the flow to produce a compound sonic exhaust gas flow; and(c) maintaining a substantially constant cyclical pressure at an exit end of each of the multiple combustor tubes regardless of ambient pressure in a surrounding environment, by means of steps (a) and (b). The method of claim 18, wherein the step of combining sequentially expanded exhaust gas flows comprises expanding exhaust gas through separate flow passages of an inlet end of the exhaust nozzle, the separate flow passages each increasing in cross sectional area for flow from an inlet end to an outlet end of each passage.