초록 ▼

The present disclosure relates to an engine having two modes of operation—air breathing and rocket—that may be used in aerospace applications such as in an aircraft, flying machine, or aerospace vehicle. The engine's efficiency can be maximized by using a precooler arrangement to cool intake air in

The present disclosure relates to an engine having two modes of operation—air breathing and rocket—that may be used in aerospace applications such as in an aircraft, flying machine, or aerospace vehicle. The engine's efficiency can be maximized by using a precooler arrangement to cool intake air in air breathing mode using cold fuel delivery systems used for the rocket mode. By introducing the precooler and certain other engine cycle components, and arranging and operating them as described, problems such as those associated with higher fuel and weight requirements and frost formation can be alleviated.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An engine comprising: a rocket combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;an air-breathing combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;a compressor for pressurizing air for supply to the air-breathing combustion chamber;a first fuel delivery system for delivering fuel

1. An engine comprising: a rocket combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;an air-breathing combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;a compressor for pressurizing air for supply to the air-breathing combustion chamber;a first fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to the rocket combustion chamber;a second fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to the air-breathing combustion chamber;an oxidant delivery system for delivering oxidant to the rocket combustion chamber;wherein the air-breathing combustion chamber and the rocket combustion chamber are configured to be operated independently with the engine being switchable from an air-breathing mode to a full rocket mode; andwherein the engine further comprises:a first heat exchanger arrangement having an inlet and an outlet arranged for cooling air to be supplied to the compressor using a heat transfer medium before compression by the compressor;a heat transfer medium loop for the heat transfer medium; anda second heat exchanger arrangement configured for cooling of the heat transfer medium by fuel delivered by the first or second fuel delivery system. 2. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the engine further comprises a turbine for driving the compressor, the turbine being configured to be driven using a portion of heat transfer medium from the outlet of the first heat exchanger arrangement. 3. An engine according to claim 2, wherein the engine further comprises a third heat exchanger arrangement configured for heating the heat transfer medium before delivery to the turbine. 4. An engine according to claim 3, wherein the engine further comprises a first pre-burner configured to partially combust at least a portion of the fuel before delivery to the air-breathing combustion chamber. 5. An engine according to claim 4, wherein an exhaust from the first pre-burner is connected to the third heat exchanger arrangement for heating of the heat transfer medium. 6. An engine according to claim 4, wherein the first pre-burner is configured to partially combust air from the compressor with fuel from the second fuel delivery system. 7. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the second heat exchanger arrangement comprises one or more regenerator stages. 8. An engine according to claim 7, wherein the one or more regenerator stages comprises a series of successive heat exchangers and pumps. 9. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the engine comprises one or more bypass valves in the heat transfer medium loop for bypassing the heat transfer medium around one or more stages of the first heat exchanger arrangement. 10. An engine according to claim 4, further comprising a second pre-burner for partially combusting fuel before delivery to the rocket combustion chamber with oxidant supplied by the oxidant delivery system. 11. An engine according to claim 10, wherein an exhaust of the second pre-burner is used to drive one or more turbines for driving the first fuel delivery system and/or the oxidant delivery system. 12. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the engine further comprises one or more bypass burners for burning a portion of fuel delivered from the second fuel delivery system. 13. An engine according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the air-breathing combustion chambers are provided and arranged around the rocket combustion chamber. 14. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the rocket combustion chamber and the air-breathing combustion chamber share a common nozzle. 15. An engine according to claim 1, wherein fuel from the second fuel delivery system is used to drive one or more turbines coupled to pumps for driving the heat transfer medium around the heat transfer medium loop. 16. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the heat transfer medium loop is configured as a closed flow loop. 17. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the engine comprises helium as the heat transfer medium. 18. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the first and second fuel delivery systems are configured to supply hydrogen as the fuel. 19. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the air-breathing combustion chamber is configured to combust compressed air from the compressor with fuel. 20. An engine according to claim 6, wherein the air-breathing combustion chamber is configured to combust compressed air from the compressor with fuel and the engine is configured for the partial combustion of fuel with the compressed air before delivery to the air-breathing combustion chamber. 21. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the engine is adapted for ignition into the air-breathing mode in which it is adapted to produce thrust in continuous operation at zero air-speed. 22. A method of operating an engine, the engine comprising: a rocket combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;an air-breathing combustion chamber for the combustion of fuel and oxidant;a compressor for pressurizing air for supply to the air-breathing combustion chamber;a first fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to the rocket combustion chamber;a second fuel delivery system for delivering fuel to the air-breathing combustion chamber;an oxidant delivery system for delivering oxidant to the rocket combustion chamber;wherein the air-breathing combustion chamber and the rocket combustion chamber are configured to be operated independently with the engine being switchable from an air-breathing mode to a full rocket mode;the engine further comprising:a first heat exchanger arrangement having an inlet and an outlet arranged for cooling air to be supplied to the compressor using a heat transfer medium before compression by the compressor;a heat transfer medium loop for the heat transfer medium; anda second heat exchanger arrangement configured for cooling of the heat transfer medium by fuel delivered by the first or second fuel delivery system, the method comprising:in a first mode of operation, supplying the air-breathing combustion chamber with fuel and oxidant to operate the engine in the air-breathing mode; andin a second mode of operation, supplying the rocket combustion chamber with fuel and oxidant to operate the engine in the full rocket mode;wherein, in the first mode of operation, air is cooled in the first heat exchanger arrangement by the heat transfer medium. 23. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein in the first mode of operation, the heat transfer medium is bypassed around one or more stages of the first heat exchanger arrangement. 24. A method of operating an engine according to claim 23, wherein in the first mode of operation, a temperature of the air to be delivered to the compressor is maintained above the freezing point of water by selectively bypassing the one or more stages of the first heat exchanger arrangement with the heat transfer medium. 25. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein fuel from the second fuel delivery system is partially combusted with air from the compressor before delivery to the air-breathing combustion chamber. 26. A method of operating an engine according to claim 25, wherein the method further comprises using a turbine for driving the compressor, the turbine being driven using a portion of heat transfer medium supplied from the outlet of the first heat exchanger arrangement. 27. A method of operating an engine according to claim 26, wherein the method further comprises using a third heat exchanger arrangement, wherein in the air-breathing mode, the heat transfer medium is heated in the third heat exchanger arrangement before delivery to the turbine. 28. A method of operating an engine according to claim 27, wherein the method comprises using a first pre-burner in which at least a portion of the fuel is partially combusted before delivery to the air-breathing combustion chamber. 29. A method of operating an engine according to claim 28, wherein exhaust from the first pre-burner is supplied to the third heat exchanger arrangement and used for heating of the heat transfer medium. 30. A method of operating an engine according to claim 28, wherein the first pre-burner partially combusts air from the compressor with fuel from the second fuel delivery system. 31. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein the second heat exchanger arrangement comprises one or more regenerator stages and the heat transfer medium is passed through the one or more regenerator stages to cool the heat transfer medium. 32. A method of operating an engine according to claim 31, wherein the one or more regenerator stages comprises a series of successive heat exchangers and pumps, the pumps being driven by turbines driven by fuel delivered from the second fuel delivery system. 33. A method of operating an engine according to claim 28, wherein in the second mode of operation, fuel from the first fuel delivery system is partially combusted in a second pre-burner with oxidant from the oxidant delivery system before delivery to the rocket combustion chamber. 34. A method of operating an engine according to claim 33, wherein an exhaust of the second pre-burner drives one or more turbines for driving the first fuel delivery system and/or the oxidant delivery system. 35. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein the method comprises using one or more bypass burners in which a portion of fuel delivered from the second fuel delivery system is burned. 36. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein the exhaust from the rocket combustion chamber and the exhaust from the air-breathing combustion chamber are fed to a common nozzle. 37. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein fuel from the second fuel delivery system drives one or more turbines coupled to pumps to drive the heat transfer medium around the heat transfer medium loop. 38. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein helium is used as the heat transfer medium. 39. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein hydrogen is delivered by the first and second fuel delivery systems. 40. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein oxygen is delivered by the oxidant delivery system. 41. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein the operating pressure of the air-breathing combustion chamber is less than the operating pressure of the rocket combustion chamber. 42. A method of operating an engine according to claim 41, wherein the air-breathing combustion chamber operates at a pressure of below 20 bar. 43. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein a maximum temperature of the heat transfer medium is maintained substantially constant during the first mode of operation. 44. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein during transition from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation, both the air-breathing combustion chamber and the rocket combustion chamber are operated. 45. An aircraft, flying machine or aerospace vehicle comprising an engine according to claim 1. 46. A method of operating an engine according to claim 22, wherein the engine is configured in an aircraft, flying machine, or aerospace vehicle. 47. An aircraft, flying machine or aerospace vehicle according to claim 45, further comprising a fuselage with aerodynamic control surfaces adapted to operate together with the engine for a controlled horizontal take-off from zero air-speed with the ending in the air-breathing mode.