This invention relates to an engine for use in an aerial vehicle. The engine has a particular application in propelling an unmanned vehicle (UAV) to super sonic speeds and it will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in reference to this application. It ought to be appreciated however that the engine may have other applications, and the invention is not limited to use with a UAV.
A UAV may be described as a relatively small aerial vehicle that does not carry its own human operator. Instead it is piloted remotely or can fly autonomously. As the vehicle does not carry an operator they are often perceived as relatively expendable, however it may also be desirable that the UAV be recovered and reused. In this regard it is distinguishable from a missile which not intended for reuse. Instead a missile is designed to be destroyed during use or is sufficiently damaged so as to limit its ability to be reused.
UAV's can be used for a number of purposes including reconnaissance, carrying and deploying payloads both lethal and non lethal, providing attack capabilities and acting as a decoy. It is often desirable that the UAV be capable of travelling at significant speeds while operating in these roles. This is particularly the case where the UAV may be operating in a hostile environment where speed is its primary form of defense. It is also the case where the UAV is acting as a decoy mimicking an aerial vehicle that presents a virtual hostile threat.
It is becoming increasing desirable that the UAVs be capable of travelling at higher speeds. The inventor has appreciated that a UAV that travels at supersonic speed is likely to be most desirable. Throughout this specification the term supersonic speed will be used and it is intended that this represent speeds in the range of Mach 1 to Mach 5. Whilst some missiles can travel at supersonic speed, their method of propulsion includes a rocket engine that relies on carrying and combining fuel and an oxidiser. This means they tend to operate for a period of time that are proportional to their size Accordingly a missile engine is not suitable for use in a UAV as the UAV is relatively small and therefor has limited space for carrying the fuel and oxidiser required to operate for longer periods of time.
It is therefore desirable to produce an engine suitable for use with an aerial vehicle that is relatively compact. It is preferable for the engine to be capable of operating over extended periods of time, and reaching supersonic speeds.
A reference herein to a patent document or other matter which is given as prior art is not to be taken as an admission that that document or matter was, in Australia, known or that the information it contains was part of the common general knowledge as at the priority date of any of the claims.
According to this invention there is provided an engine for use in an aerial vehicle including: an air intake at a leading end of the engine, a nozzle at a tail end of the engine, an air fed combustion chamber that is fed air from the intake to burn liquid fuel and discharge from the engine through the nozzle, a rocket located proximate the intake that operates on the liquid fuel and an oxidiser, the rocket having an oxidiser fed combustion chamber within which the liquid fuel and oxidiser is burnt and an exhaust discharging the burnt fuel into the air fed combustion chamber, whereby the fuel is supplied to the oxidiser fed combustion chamber until the vehicle achieves a self sustaining velocity after which the fuel is supplied to the air fed combustion chamber.
It is preferred that the intake includes a substantially rectilinear duct and at least one adjustable baffle for adjusting the flow characteristics of air interacting with the intake. It is further preferred that the intake include a plurality of baffles which are adjustable in two dimensions and located on opposing sides of the intake. It is further preferred that each baffle is articulated and includes at least a lead portion and a tail portion that are relatively adjustable in an angle they make with each other. It is still further preferred that each baffle includes a middle portion positioned between the lead portion and the tail portion that is relatively adjustable in an angle it makes with the lead portion and the tail portion.
It is preferred that the engine a conduit formed in a wall forming at least the oxidiser fed combustion chamber through which conduit the fuel passes before it enters said chamber, whereby heat is transfer from the wall of said chamber to the fuel. It is further preferred that the conduit extends to a wall forming the exhaust. It is still further preferred that the conduit defines a substantially helical path. It is still further preferred that the exhaust creates a venturi effect to draw air in through the intake duct.
It is preferred that the engine include at least one fuel injector for injecting the fuel towards the combustion chamber, at least one flame holder over which the air passes and causes an eddy current which supports an environment in which a flame for igniting the fuel can be maintained. It is further preferred that the engine include a conduit formed in a wall forming the combustion chamber through which conduit the fuel passes before it enters said chamber, whereby heat is transfer from the wall of said chamber to the fuel. It is still further preferred that the conduit defines a substantially helical path.
It is preferred that the nozzle includes a rectilinear duct having at least one panel for adjusting the flow characteristics of the discharge moving through the nozzle. It is further preferred that the nozzle includes a plurality of panels which are located on opposing sides of said duct. It is still further preferred that each panel is articulated and includes at least a lead portion and a tail portion that are relatively adjustable in an angle they make with each other. It is still further preferred that each panel includes a conduit formed therein through which conduit the fuel passes before it enters either said chamber, whereby heat is transfer from each panel to the fuel. It is still further preferred that the nozzle includes side walls that extend substantially perpendicular to and on opposing sides of the panels, each side wall including a conduit formed therein through which conduit the fuel passes before it enters either said chamber, whereby heat is transfer from each side wall to the fuel. It is still further preferred that each conduit defines a tortuous path.
It is preferred that the rocket is an ejector rocket.
It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention. The particularity of drawings and the detailed description should not be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding definition of the invention.
Referring now generally to
The management system 4 may take any form that is suitable for managing the components of the UAV 1. It may for example include communication systems for communicating with the other components of the UAV 1 and relaying the data to the remote operator. However the specifics of the management system do not for part of the invention.
The motor controller 5 may take any form with its function is to control the rocket 9 and intake/combustion chamber 8, 10. However the specifics of the motor controller 5 do not form part of the invention.
The rocket 9 operates on fuel supplied from the fuel tank 6, and an oxidiser supplied from a separate tank (not shown). The air fed combustion chamber 10 operates on the same fuel supplied from the tank 6 that is supplying the rocket 9. The configuration of the tank 6 as illustrated may vary and specifics of the tank 6 do not form part of the invention.
The gearbox, intake, rocket, air combustion chamber and empennage will be described in greater detail with reference to later illustrations.
Referring now to
It is preferred that each panel 33a, 33b be relatively adjustable to adjust the flow characteristics of the gas passing through the nozzle 12. This may be achieved in any suitable manner however in the embodiment illustrated in
Referring again to
The pressure in the combustion chamber 10 is raised to a point where combustion of fuel in the air combustion chamber 10 creates an overall increase in momentum of air/gas through the engine 12 generating net thrust. The thrust becomes greater then drag on the vehicle 1, and the vehicle 1 will accelerate. Thereafter the baffles 16 of the intake 8 are adjusted along with the panels 33 of the nozzle 12 to control the pressure in the air combustion chamber 10 so as to enable the engine to operate as a ramjet at supersonic speeds as illustrated in
The inventor has appreciated that by positioning the rocket exhaust 22 relative to the intake 8 as hereinbefore described, it acts as an ejector rocket helping to draw air into the intake 3. This increases the likelihood that the aerial vehicle 1 will achieve a sustainable velocity in a more efficient manner.
Various alterations and/or additions may be introduced to the engine as hereinbefore described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.
Future patent applications may be filed in Australia or overseas on the basis of or claiming priority from the present application. It is to be understood that the following provisional claims are provided by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of what may be claimed in any such future application. Features may be added to or omitted from the provisional claims at a later date so as to further define or re-define the invention.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2011900693 | Mar 2011 | AU | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/AU12/00195 | 2/29/2012 | WO | 00 | 10/28/2013 |