Jet Engine Including Resonator-based Diagnostics

Abstract

Example implementations relate to jet engines that include resonator-based diagnostics. An example implementation includes a jet engine. The jet engine includes a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture. The jet engine also includes a resonator having a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength. The resonator includes a first conductor and a second conductor separated from one another by an interstitial space that is exposed to an environment of the combustion chamber. Further, the jet engine includes a controller communicatively coupled to the resonator and configured to perform operations. The operations include determining a characteristic of the resonator selected from the group consisting of the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength. The operations also include, based on the determined characteristic, determining a parameter of the combustion chamber.

Description

BACKGROUND

Resonators are devices and/or systems that can produce a large response for a given input when excited at a resonance frequency. Resonators are used in various applications, including acoustics, optics, photonics, electromagnetics, chemistry, particle physics, etc. For example, electromagnetic resonators can be used as antennas or as energy transmission devices. Further, resonators can concentrate a large amount of energy in a relatively small location (for example, as in the electromagnetic waves radiated by a laser).

Aircraft, including jets, can be used to transport cargo and/or passengers from one location to another at high velocities. By providing thrust using a jet engine or a propeller, aircraft can generate lift based on Bernoulli's principle. One way of powering a jet engine or a propeller includes combusting hydrocarbon fuel.

SUMMARY

In a first implementation, a jet engine is provided. The jet engine includes a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture. The jet engine also includes a resonator having a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength. The resonator includes a first conductor and a second conductor separated from one another by an interstitial space that is exposed to an environment of the combustion chamber. Further, the jet engine includes a controller communicatively coupled to the resonator and configured to perform operations. The operations include determining a characteristic of the resonator selected from the group consisting of the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength. The operations also include based on the determined characteristic, determining a parameter of the combustion chamber.

In a second implementation, a jet engine is provided. The jet engine includes a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture. The jet engine also includes a primary resonator having a primary characteristic impedance and a primary resonant wavelength. The primary resonator includes a primary first conductor and a primary second conductor separated from one another by a primary interstitial space that is exposed to a primary region of an environment of the combustion chamber. Further, the jet engine includes a secondary resonator having a secondary characteristic impedance and a secondary resonant wavelength. The secondary resonator includes a secondary first conductor and a secondary second conductor separated from one another by a secondary interstitial space that is exposed to a secondary region of the environment of the combustion chamber. The primary region and the secondary region of the environment of the combustion chamber are disposed at different locations within the combustion chamber. In addition, the jet engine includes a controller communicatively coupled to the primary resonator and the secondary resonator and configured to perform operations. The operations include determining a primary characteristic of the primary resonator selected from the group consisting of the primary characteristic impedance and the primary resonant wavelength. The operations also include determining a secondary characteristic of the secondary resonator selected from the group consisting of the secondary characteristic impedance and the secondary resonant wavelength. Further, the operations include, based on the determined primary characteristic and the determined secondary characteristic, determining a differential selected from the group consisting of a temperature differential, a pressure differential, an air composition differential, a differential in fuel-to-air ratio, and a combustion-percentage differential.

In a third implementation, a jet engine is provided. The jet engine includes a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture. The jet engine also includes a resonator having a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength. The resonator includes a first conductor. The resonator also includes a second conductor. Further, the resonator includes a dielectric between the first conductor and the second conductor. A distal end of the resonator is exposed to an environment of the combustion chamber. In addition, the jet engine includes a controller communicatively coupled to the resonator and configured to perform operations. The operations include determining a characteristic of the resonator selected from the group consisting of the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength. The operations also include, based on the determined characteristic, determining a parameter of the combustion chamber.

In a fourth implementation, a method is provided. The method includes determining, by a controller communicatively coupled to a resonator, a characteristic of a resonator selected from the group consisting of a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength. The resonator includes a first conductor and a second conductor separated from one another by an interstitial space that is exposed to an environment of a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture within a jet engine. The method also includes, based on the determined characteristic, determining, by the controller, a parameter of the combustion chamber.

Other implementations will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detailed description, with reference where appropriate to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1A illustrates a cross-sectional view of an internal combustion engine.

FIG. 1B illustrates an isometric view of an example quarter-wave coaxial cavity resonator (QWCCR) structure, according to example implementations.

FIG. 1C illustrates a cutaway side view of a QWCCR structure, according to example implementations.

FIG. 1D illustrates a cross-sectional view of a QWCCR structure, according to example implementations.

FIG. 1E is a cross-sectional illustration of an electromagnetic mode in a QWCCR structure, according to example implementations.

FIG. 1F is a cross-sectional illustration of an electromagnetic mode in a QWCCR structure, according to example implementations.

FIG. 1G is a plot of a quarter-wave resonance condition of a QWCCR structure, according to example implementations.

FIG. 2 illustrates a system that includes a coaxial resonator, according to example implementations.

FIG. 3A illustrates a system that includes a coaxial resonator, according to example implementations.

FIG. 3B illustrates a system that includes a coaxial resonator, according to example implementations.

FIG. 4A illustrates a system that includes a coaxial resonator, according to example implementations.

FIG. 4B illustrates a controller, according to example implementations.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cutaway side view of a QWCCR structure connected to a fuel pump and a fuel tank, according to example implementations.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example coaxial resonator connected to a direct-current (DC) power source through an additional resonator assembly acting as a radio-frequency (RF) attenuator, according to example implementations.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example coaxial resonator connected to a DC power source through an additional resonator assembly acting as an RF attenuator, according to example implementations.

FIG. 8 illustrates an aircraft having a jet engine, according to example implementations.

FIG. 9 illustrates a jet engine, according to example implementations.

FIG. 10A illustrates a combustor, according to example implementations.

FIG. 10B illustrates a combustor, according to example implementations.

FIG. 10C illustrates a combustor, according to example implementations.

FIG. 10D illustrates a combustor, according to example implementations.

FIG. 10E illustrates a combustor, according to example implementations.

FIG. 10F illustrates a combustor, according to example implementations.

FIG. 11 illustrates a partial view of a combustor, according to example implementations.

FIG. 12 illustrates air flow paths through a combustor, according to example implementations.

FIG. 13 illustrates a jet engine including an afterburner, according to example implementations.

FIG. 14A illustrates a combustion chamber, according to example implementations.

FIG. 14B illustrates a combustion chamber, according to example implementations.

FIG. 14C illustrates a combustion chamber, according to example implementations.

FIG. 14D illustrates a combustion chamber, according to example implementations.

FIG. 15 illustrates a combustion chamber, according to example implementations.

FIG. 16 illustrates a method, according to example implementations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example methods, devices, and systems are presently disclosed. It should be understood that the word “example” is used in the present disclosure to mean “serving as an instance or illustration.” Any implementation or feature presently disclosed as being an “example” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations or features. Other implementations can be utilized, and other changes can be made, without departing from the scope of the subject matter presented in the present disclosure.

Thus, the example implementations presently disclosed are not meant to be limiting. Components presently disclosed and illustrated in the figures can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated in the present disclosure.

Further, unless context suggests otherwise, the features illustrated in each of the figures can be used in combination with one another. Thus, the figures should be generally viewed as components of one or more overall implementations, with the understanding that not all illustrated features are necessary for each implementation.

In the context of this disclosure, various terms can refer to locations where, as a result of a particular configuration, and under certain conditions of operation, a voltage component can be measured as close to non-existent. For example, “voltage short” can refer to any location where a voltage component can be close to non-existent under certain conditions. Similar terms can equally refer to this location of close-to-zero voltage (for example, “virtual short circuit,” “virtual short location,” or “voltage null”). In examples, “virtual short” can be used to indicate locations where the close-to-zero voltage is a result of a standing wave crossing zero. “Voltage null” can be used to refer to locations of close-to-zero voltage for a reason other than as result of a standing wave crossing zero (for example, voltage attenuation or cancellation). Moreover, in the context of this disclosure, each of these terms that can refer to locations of close-to-zero voltage are meant to be non-limiting.

In an effort to provide technical context for the present disclosure, the information in this section can broadly describe various components of the implementations presently disclosed. However, such information is provided solely for the benefit of the reader and, as such, does not expressly limit the claimed subject matter. Further, components shown in the figures are shown for illustrative purposes only. As such, the illustrations are not to be construed as limiting. As is understood, components can be added, removed, or rearranged without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

I. Overview

As described in the present disclosure, a jet engine or a combustion chamber of a jet engine can include a resonator used for diagnostics. In some implementations, for example, the resonator could include a coaxial resonator, such as a QWCCR structure. The resonator can have an associated resonant wavelength. The resonant wavelength can depend on qualities of the resonator, such as geometry of the resonator, dimensions of the resonator, and materials of the resonator. Similarly, the resonator can also have an associated characteristic impedance. The characteristic impedance can depend on qualities of the resonator, as well. The qualities that determine the characteristic impedance of the resonator can be similar qualities or the same qualities as the qualities that determine the resonant wavelength of the resonator, for example.

In addition, both the resonant wavelength and the characteristic impedance of the resonator might depend on an environment of the resonator. For example, the resonant wavelength and the characteristic impedance of the resonator might depend on the temperature of the environment, pressure of the environment, and/or a chemical composition of the environment. In an example implementation, where the resonator is a coaxial resonator, the resonator can include an inner conductor separated by a distance from an outer conductor. The space between the inner conductor and the outer conductor can be referred to as an “interstitial space.” If the environment near the resonator is permitted to enter/occupy the interstitial space, the environment can alter the resonant wavelength and/or the characteristic impedance of the resonator. For example, because the resonant wavelength and characteristic impedance depend on the relative dielectric permittivity of a dielectric located between the inner conductor and the outer conductor, and the relative dielectric permittivity of a fuel/air mixture changes with temperature, pressure, and chemical composition, the resonant wavelength and/or characteristic impedance depend on the conditions of the environment within the interstitial space. In some implementations, the relative magnetic permeability of the fuel/air mixture, which also affects the resonant wavelength and characteristic impedance, may also change with temperature, pressure, and/or chemical composition. For example, if one or more of the compounds within the fuel/air mixture is paramagnetic, the relative magnetic permeability of the fuel/air mixture may be non-unity. Even further, the environment located proximate to the distal end of the resonator can also affect the characteristic impedance and/or resonant wavelength of the resonator. This may be in addition to or instead of any effect the environment occupying the interstitial space has on the characteristic impedance and/or resonant wavelength of the resonator.

Further, the resonator could be communicatively coupled to a controller. The controller can determine the resonant wavelength and/or the characteristic impedance of the resonator. Such a determination can be made by the controller directly. Alternatively, such a determination can be made by the controller indirectly through a diagnostic sensor that is also communicatively coupled to the controller. For example, the controller can be communicatively coupled to an oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, AC volt meter, or other impedance measurement device to determine the impedance of the resonator. In some implementations, the controller can be communicatively coupled to a power meter used to determine a power reflected from the resonator when the resonator is excited by an RF power source such as the signal generator 202 illustrated in FIG. 2. Further, the controller can repeatedly determine the resonant wavelength and/or the characteristic impedance in order to track changes in the resonant wavelength and/or the characteristic impedance. Still further, the controller can be communicatively coupled to one or more auxiliary sensors whose input is used by the controller to determine the characteristic impedance and/or the resonant wavelength. For example, the controller can be communicatively coupled to a thermometer to receive a temperature reading. Using the temperature reading as an auxiliary input (in addition to the oscilloscope, for example), the controller can determine the pressure within the environment of the resonator.

Based on the determined characteristic impedance and/or the determined resonant wavelength, the controller can determine a parameter of the combustion chamber. The determined characteristic impedance can include a change in the characteristic impedance, and/or the determined resonant wavelength can include a change in the resonant wavelength. Further, in some implementations, other characteristics of the resonator in addition to or instead of the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength can be measured to determine a parameter of the combustion chamber. In some implementations, because the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength depend upon the temperature of the environment within the interstitial space, a measurement of the characteristic impedance or the resonant wavelength can indicate the temperature within the interstitial space. Additionally or alternatively, the controller can determine pressure within the environment within the interstitial space and/or chemical composition of the environment within the interstitial space (such as chemical composition of a fuel/air mixture). The pressure, temperature, chemical composition, or other parameters within the combustion chamber can be determined by the controller using a look-up table, in some implementations.

Based on the determined parameter, the controller can make control decisions for the ignition and combustion of fuel and/or a fuel/air mixture within the combustion chamber. For example, if the controller determines that the temperature or pressure within the combustion chamber is too low or too high, the controller can change one or more operating conditions, such as operating temperature, altitude, compression ratio, spin rate of a shaft within the jet engine, etc. Likewise, if the controller determines that the chemical composition of the environment near the resonator includes too much fuel within a fuel/air mixture, the controller can change one or more control settings, such as fuel injection rate, fuel ignition rate, power used to ignite fuel, etc. Other adjustments made by the controller based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber are also possible.

II. Example Combustion

Igniters can be used to ignite a mixture of air and fuel (for example, within a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine 101, such as that illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 1A). For example, igniters can be configured as gap spark igniters, similar to an automotive spark plug. However, gap spark igniters might not be desirable in some applications and/or under some conditions. For example, a gap spark igniter might not be capable of igniting and initiating combustion of fuel mixtures that have fuel-to-air ratios below a certain threshold. Further, lean mixtures of fuel and air might have significant environmental and economic benefits by making combustion (for example, within a combustor or an afterburner) more efficient, and thus, using a gap spark igniter might preclude achieving such benefits. In addition, higher thermal efficiencies can be achieved by operating at higher power densities and pressures. However, using more energetic or powerful gap spark igniters reduces overall ignition efficiency because the higher energy levels can be detrimental to the gap spark igniter's lifetime. Higher energy levels might also contribute to the formation of undesirable pollutants and can reduce overall engine efficiency.

While gap spark igniters are described above, other types of igniters can generally include glow plugs (for example, in diesel-fueled internal combustion engines), open flame sources (for example, cigarette lighters, friction spark devices, etc.), and other heat sources.

A variety of fuels (for example, hydrocarbon fuels) can be combusted to yield energy within an internal combustion engine, within a power-generation turbine, within a jet engine, or within various other applications. For example, kerosene (also known as paraffin or lamp oil), gasoline (also known as petrol), fractional distillates of petroleum fuel oil (for example, diesel fuel), crude oil, Fischer-Tropsch synthesized paraffinic kerosene, natural gas, and coal are all hydrocarbon fuels that, when combusted, liberate energy stored within chemical bonds of the fuel. Jet fuel, specifically, can be classified by its “jet propellant” (JP) number. The “jet propellant” (JP) number can correspond to a classification system utilized by the United States military. For example, JP-1 can be a pure kerosene fuel, JP-4 can be a 50% kerosene and 50% gasoline blend, JP-9 can be another kerosene-based fuel, JP-9 can be a gas turbine fuel (for example, including tetrahydrodimethylcyclopentadiene) specifically used in missile applications, and JP-10 can be a fuel similar to JP-9 that includes endo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene, exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene, and adamantane. Other forms of jet fuel include zip fuel (for example, high-energy fuel that contains boron), SYNTROLEUM® FT-fuel, other kerosene-type fuels (for example, Jet A fuel and Jet A-1 fuel), and naphtha-type fuels (for example, Jet B fuel). It is understood that other fuels can be combusted as well. Further, the fuel type used can depend upon the application. For example, jet engines, internal combustion engines, and power-generation turbines may each burn different types of fuels.

When fuel (for example, hydrocarbon fuel) interacts with electromagnetic radiation, the fuel can change chemical composition. For example, when hydrocarbon fuel interacts with (for example, is irradiated by) microwaves, some of the hydrogen atoms can be ionized and/or one or more hydrogen atoms can be liberated from a hydrocarbon chain. The processes of liberating hydrogen within fuel, ionizing hydrogen within fuel, or otherwise changing the chemical composition of fuel are collectively referred to in the present disclosure as “reforming” the fuel. Reforming the fuel can include exciting the hydrocarbon fuel at one or more of its natural resonant frequencies (for example, acoustic and/or electromagnetic resonant frequencies) to break one or more of the carbon-hydrogen (or other) bonds within the hydrocarbon chain. When hydrogen within a hydrocarbon fuel becomes ionized and/or is liberated from the hydrocarbon chain, the resulting hydrocarbon fuel can require less energy to burn. Thus, a leaner fuel/air mixture that includes reformed fuel can achieve the same output power (for example, within a combustion chamber of a jet engine or a power-generation turbine) as compared to a more rich fuel/air mixture that includes non-reformed fuel, since the reformed fuel can combust more quickly and thoroughly. Analogously, when comparing equal fuel-to-air ratios, less input energy can be required to combust a mixture that includes reformed fuel when compared to a mixture that includes non-reformed fuel.

In addition to reforming fuels, electromagnetic radiation can alter an energy state of fuel and/or of a fuel mixture. In an example implementation, altering the energy state of fuel can include exciting electrons within the valence band of the hydrocarbon chain to higher energy levels. In such scenarios, raising the energy state can also include reorienting polar molecules (for example, water and/or polar hydrocarbon chains) within a fuel/air mixture due to electromagnetic fields applying a torque on polar molecules. Reorienting polar molecules can result in molecular motion, thereby increasing an effective temperature and/or kinetic energy of the molecule, which raises the energy state of fuel. By raising the energy state of fuel, the activation energy for combustion of the fuel can be reduced. When the activation energy for combustion is reduced, the energy supplied by the ignition source can also be decreased, thereby conserving energy during ignition.

Presently disclosed are ignition systems with resonators (for example, QWCCR structures) that use both RF power and DC power. The presently disclosed RF ignition systems provide an alternative to other types of igniters. For example, the QWCCR structure can be used as an igniter (for example, in place of an automotive gap spark plug) in the internal combustion engine 101. Such RF ignition systems can excite plasma (for example, within a corona). If an igniter is configured as one of the RF ignition systems presently disclosed, then more efficient, leaner, cleaner combustion can be achieved. Such increased combustion efficiency can be achieved at decreased air pressures and temperatures when compared with a gap spark igniter (for example, if the RF ignition system is used in a jet engine). Further, such increased combustion efficiency can be achieved at higher air pressures and temperatures when compared with a gap spark igniter. It is understood throughout this disclosure that where reference is made to “RF” or to microwaves, in alternate implementations, other wavelengths of electromagnetic waves outside of the RF range can be used alternatively or in addition to RF electromagnetic waves.

As described above, RF ignition systems can excite plasma. Plasma is one of the four fundamental states of matter (in addition to solid, liquid, and gas). Further, plasmas are mixtures of positively charged gas ions and negatively charged electrons. Because plasmas are mixtures of charged particles, plasmas have associated intrinsic electric fields. In addition, when the charged particles in the mixture move, plasmas also produce magnetic fields (for example, according to Ampere's law). Given the electromagnetic nature of plasmas, plasmas interact with, and can be manipulated by, external electric and magnetic fields. For example, placing a ferromagnetic material (for example, iron, cobalt, nickel, neodymium, samarium-cobalt, etc.) near a plasma can cause the plasma to be attracted to or repelled from the ferromagnetic material (for example, causing the plasma to move).

Plasmas can be formed in a variety of ways. One way of forming a plasma can include heating gases to a sufficiently high temperature (for example, depending on ambient pressure). Additionally or alternatively, forming a plasma can include exposing gases to a sufficiently strong electromagnetic field. Lightning is an environmental phenomenon involving plasma. One application of plasma can include neon signs. Further, because plasma is responsive to applied electromagnetic fields, plasma can be directed according to specific patterns. Hence, plasmas can also be used in technologies such as plasma televisions or plasma etching.

Plasmas can be characterized according to their temperature and electron density. For example, one type of plasma can be a “microwave-generated plasma” (for example, ranging from 5 eV to 15 eV in energy). Such a plasma can be generated by a QWCCR structure, for example.

III. Example Resonator

An example implementation of a QWCCR structure 100 is illustrated in FIGS. 1B-1D. As illustrated, the QWCCR structure 100 can include an outer conductor 102, an inner conductor 104 with an associated electrode 106, a base conductor 110, and a dielectric 108. Also as illustrated, the QWCCR structure 100 can be shaped as concentric circular cylinders. The inner conductor 104 can have radius ‘a’, the outer conductor 102 can have inner radius ‘b’, and the outer conductor 102 can have outer radius ‘c’, as illustrated in cross-section in FIG. 1D. In alternate implementations, the QWCCR structure 100 can have other shapes (for example, concentric ellipsoidal cylinders or concentric, enclosed, elongated volumes with square or rectangular cross-sections). The inner conductor 104, the outer conductor 102 (or just the inner surface of the outer conductor 102), the electrode 106, and the base conductor 110 can be made of various conductive materials (for example, steel, gold, silver, platinum, nickel, or alloys thereof). Further, in some implementations, the inner conductor 104, the outer conductor 102, and the base conductor 110 can be made of the same conductive materials, while in other implementations, the inner conductor 104, the outer conductor 102, and the base conductor 110 can be made of different conductive materials. Additionally, in some implementations, the inner conductor 104, the outer conductor 102, and/or the base conductor 110 can include a dielectric material coated in a conductor (for example, a metal-plated ceramic). In such implementations, the conductive coating can be thicker than a skin-depth of the conductor at a given excitation frequency of the QWCCR structure 100 such that electricity is conducted throughout the conductive coating.

As illustrated, an electrode 106 can be disposed at a distal end of the inner conductor 104. The electrode 106 can be made of a conductive material as described above (for example, the same conductive material as the inner conductor 104). For example, the electrode 106 can be machined with the inner conductor 104 as a single piece. In some implementations, as illustrated, the base conductor 110, the outer conductor 102, the inner conductor 104, and the electrode can be shorted together. For example, the base conductor 110 can short the outer conductor 102 to the inner conductor 104, in some implementations. When shorted together, these components can be directly electrically coupled to one another such that each of these components is at the same electric potential.

Further, in implementations where the base conductor 110, the outer conductor 102, and the inner conductor 104 (including the electrode 106) are shorted together, the base conductor 110, the outer conductor 102, and the inner conductor 104 (including the electrode 106) can be machined as a single piece. In addition, the electrode 106 can include a concentrator (for example, a tip, a point, or an edge), which can concentrate and enhance the electric field at one or more locations. Such an enhanced electric field can create conditions that promote the excitation of a plasma corona near the concentrator (for example, through a breakdown of a dielectric, such as air, that surrounds the concentrator). The concentrator can be a patterned or shaped portion of the electrode 106, for example. The electrode 106, including the concentrator, can be electromagnetically coupled to the inner conductor 104. In the present disclosure and claims, the electrode 106 and/or the concentrator can be described as being “configured to electromagnetically couple to” the inner conductor 104. This language is to be interpreted broadly as meaning that the electrode 106 and/or the concentrator: are presently electromagnetically coupled to the inner conductor 104, are always electromagnetically coupled to the inner conductor 104, can be selectively electromagnetically coupled to the inner conductor 104 (for example, using a switch), are only electromagnetically coupled to the inner conductor 104 when a power source is connected to the inner conductor 104, and/or are able to be electromagnetically coupled to the inner conductor 104 if one or more components are repositioned relative to one another. For example, the electrode 106 can be “configured to electromagnetically couple to” the inner conductor 104 if the electrode 106 is machined as a single piece with the inner conductor 104, if the electrode 106 is connected to the inner conductor 104 using a wire or other conducting mechanism, or if the electrode 106 is disposed sufficiently close to the inner conductor 104 such that the electrode 106 electromagnetically couples to one or more evanescent waves excited by the inner conductor 104 when the inner conductor 104 is connected to a power source.

As illustrated in FIG. 1C, the electrode 106 and/or a concentrator of the electrode 106 can extend beyond the distal end of the outer conductor 102 and/or the distal end of the dielectric 108. In alternate implementations, the electrode 106 and/or a concentrator of the electrode 106 can be flush with the distal end of the outer conductor 102 and/or the distal end of the dielectric 108. In alternate implementations, the electrode 106 and/or a concentrator of the electrode 106 can be shorter than the outer conductor 102, such that no portion of the electrode 106 and/or concentrator is flush with the distal end of the outer conductor 102 and no portion extends beyond the distal end of the outer conductor 102. The QWCCR structure 100 can be excited at resonance, in some implementations. The resonance can generate a standing voltage quarter-wave within the QWCCR structure 100. If the concentrator, the distal end of the outer conductor 102, and the distal end of the dielectric 108 are each flush with one another, the electromagnetic field can quickly collapse outside of the QWCCR structure 100, thereby concentrating the majority of the electromagnetic energy at the concentrator. In still other implementations, the distal end of the outer conductor 102 and/or the distal end of the dielectric 108 can extend beyond the electrode 106 and/or a concentrator of the electrode 106. The electrode 106 can effectively modify the physical length of the inner conductor 104, which can modify the resonance conditions of the QWCCR structure 100 (for example, can modify the electrical length of the QWCCR structure 100). Various resonance conditions can thus be achieved across a variety of QWCCR structures 100 by varying the geometry of the electrode 106 and/or a concentrator of the electrode 106.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 1C, the base conductor 110 can be electrically coupled to the outer conductor 102 and the inner conductor 104. In alternate implementations, the inner conductor 104 can be electrically insulated from the outer conductor 102 (rather than shorted together through the base conductor 110).

Plasmas (for example, plasma coronas generated by the QWCCR structure 100) can be used to ignite mixtures of air and fuel (for example, hydrocarbon fuel for use in a combustion process). Plasma-assisted ignition (for example, using a QWCCR structure 100) is fundamentally different from ignition using a gap spark plug. For example, efficient electron-impact excitation, dissociation of molecules, and ionization of atoms, which might not occur in ignition using gap spark plugs, can occur in plasma-assisted ignition. Further, in plasmas, an external electric field can accelerate the electrons and/or ions. Thus, using electric fields, energy within the plasma (for example, thermal energy) can be directed to specific locations (for example, within a combustion chamber).

There are a variety of mechanisms by which plasma can impart the energy necessary to ignite mixtures of air and fuel. For example, electrons can impart energy to molecules during collisions. However, this singular energy exchange might be relatively minor (for example, because an electron's mass is orders of magnitude less than a molecule's mass). So long as the rate at which electrons are imparting energy to the molecules is higher than the rate at which molecules are undergoing relaxation, a population distribution of the molecules (for example, a population distribution that differs from an initial Boltzmann distribution of the molecules) can arise. The molecules having higher energy, along with the dissociation and ionization processes, can emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation (for example, when undergoing relaxation) that affects mixtures of fuel and air. Further, gas heating and an increase in system reactivity can increase the likelihood of ignition and flame propagation. In addition, when the average electron energy within a plasma (for example, within a combustion chamber) exceeds 10 eV, gas ionization can be the predominant mechanism by which plasma is formed (over electron-impact excitation and dissociation of molecules).

Plasma-assisted ignition can have a variety of benefits over ignition using a gap spark plug. For example, in plasma-assisted ignition, a plasma corona that is generated can be physically larger (for example, in length, width, radius, and/or overall volumetric extent) than a typical spark from a gap spark plug. This can allow a more lean fuel mixture (also known as lower fuel-to-air ratio) to be burned once combustion occurs as compared with alternative ignition, for example. Also, because a larger energy can be energized in plasma-assisted ignition, stoichiometric ratio fuels can be combusted more fully, thereby creating fewer regulated pollutants (for example, creating less NO_x to be expelled as exhaust) and/or leaving less unspent fuel.

Dielectric breakdown of air or another dielectric material near the electrode 106 of the QWCCR structure 100 can be a mechanism by which a plasma corona is excited near the concentrator of the QWCCR structure 100. Factors that impact the breakdown of a dielectric, such as dielectric breakdown of air, include free-electron population, electron diffusion, electron drift, electron attachment, and electron recombination. Free electrons in the free-electron population can collide with neutral particles or ions during ionization events. Such collisions can create additional free electrons, thereby increasing the likelihood of dielectric breakdown. Oppositely, electron diffusion and attachment can each be mechanisms by which free electrons recombine and are lost, thereby reducing the likelihood of dielectric breakdown.

As presently described, a plasma corona can be provided “proximate to” a distal end of the QWCCR structure 100, the electrode 106, and/or a concentrator of the QWCCR structure 100. In other words, the plasma corona could be described as being provided “nearby” or “at” a distal end of the QWCCR structure 100, the electrode 106, and/or a concentrator of the QWCCR structure 100. Further, this terminology is not to be viewed as limiting. For example, while the plasma corona is provided “proximate to” the QWCCR structure 100, this does not limit the plasma corona from extending away from the QWCCR structure 100 and/or from being moved to other locations that are farther from the QWCCR structure 100 after being provided “proximate to” the QWCCR structure 100.

When used to describe a relationship between a plasma corona and a distal end of the QWCCR structure 100, a relationship between a plasma corona and the electrode 106, a relationship between a plasma corona and a concentrator of the electrode 106, or similar relationships, the term “proximate” can describe the physical separation between the plasma corona and the other component. In various implementations, the physical separation can include different ranges. For example, a plasma corona provided “proximate to” the concentrator can be separated from the concentrator (in other words, can “stand off from” the concentrator) by less than 1.0 nanometer, by 1.0 nanometer to 10.0 nanometers, by 10.0 nanometers to 100.0 nanometers, by 100.0 nanometers to 1.0 micrometer, by 1.0 micrometer to 10.0 micrometers, by 10.0 micrometers to 100.0 micrometers, or by 100.0 micrometers to 1.0 millimeter. Additionally or alternatively, a plasma corona provided “proximate to” the concentrator can be separated from the concentrator by 0.01 times a width of the plasma corona to 0.1 times a width of the plasma corona, by 0.1 times a width of the plasma corona to 1.0 times the width of the plasma corona, or by 1.0 times a width of the plasma corona to 10.0 times a width of the plasma corona. Even further, a plasma corona provided “proximate to” the concentrator can be separated from the concentrator by 0.01 times a radius of the concentrator to 0.1 times a radius of the concentrator, by 0.1 times a radius of the concentrator to 1.0 times a radius of the concentrator, or by 1.0 times a radius of the concentrator to 10.0 times a radius of the concentrator.

It is understood that in various implementations, the plasma corona can emit light entirely within the visible spectrum, partially within the visible spectrum and partially outside the visible spectrum, or completely outside the visible spectrum. In other words, even if the plasma corona is “invisible” to the human eye and/or to optics that only sense light within the visible spectrum, it is not necessarily the case that the plasma corona is not being provided.

IV. Mathematical Description of Example Resonator

In order for dielectric breakdown to occur, an electric field within the dielectric must be greater than or equal to an electric field breakdown threshold. An electric field generated by an alternating current (AC) source can be described by a root-mean-square (rms) value for electric field (E_rms). The rms value for electric field (E_rms) can be calculated according the following equation:

$E_{\mathrm{rms}}=\sqrt{\frac{1}{T_2-T_1}{\int }_{T_1}^{T_2}E^2\mathrm{dt}}$

where T₂−T₁ represents the period over which the electric field is oscillating (for example, corresponding to the period of the AC source generating the electric field). As described mathematically above, the rms value for electric field (E_rms) represents the quadratic mean of the electric field. Using the rms value for electric field, an effective electric field (E_eff) can be calculated that is approximately frequency independent (for example, by removing phase lag effects from the oscillating electric field):

$E_{\mathrm{eff}}^2=E_{\mathrm{rms}}^2\frac{v_c^2}{{\omega }^2+v_c^2}$

where ω represents the angular frequency of the electric field (for example,

$\omega =\frac{2\pi }{T_2-T_1})$

and v_c represents the effective momentum collision frequency of the electrons and neutral particles. The angular frequency (ω) of the electric field can correspond to the frequency of an excitation source used to excite the electric field (for example, the QWCCR structure 100). Using this effective electric field (E_eff), DC breakdown voltages for various gases (and potentially other dielectrics) can be related to AC breakdown values for uniform electric fields. For air, v_c≈5·10⁹×p, where p represents the pressure (in torr). At atmospheric pressure (for example, around 760 torr) or above and excitation frequencies of below 1 THz, the effective momentum collision frequency of the electrons and neutral particles (v_c) will dominate the denominator of the fractional coefficient of E_rms². Therefore, an approximation of the rms breakdown field (E_b) can be used. The rms breakdown field (E_b), in V/cm, of a uniform microwave field in the collision regime can be given by:

$E_b=30·297\left(\frac{p}{T}\right)$

where T is the temperature in Kelvin.

An analytical description of the electromagnetics of the QWCCR structure 100 follows.

If fringing electromagnetic fields are assumed to be small, the lowest quarter-wave resonance in a coaxial cavity is a transverse electromagnetic mode (TEM mode) (as opposed to a transverse electric mode (TE mode) or a transverse magnetic mode (TM mode)). The TEM mode is the dominant mode in a coaxial cavity and has no cutoff frequency (ω_c). In the TEM mode (as illustrated in FIG. 1E), because neither the electric field nor the magnetic field have any components in the z-direction (coordinate system illustrated in FIG. 1D), the electric and magnetic fields can be written, respectively, as:

$H=H_{\varphi }{\hat{a}}_{\varphi }=\frac{I_0}{2\pi r}\cos \left(\beta z\right){\hat{a}}_{\varphi }$ $E=E_r{\hat{a}}_r=\frac{V_0}{2\pi r}\sin \left(\beta z\right){\hat{a}}_r$

where H is a phasor representing the magnetic field vector, E is a phasor representing the electric field vector, â_φ represents a unit vector in the φ direction (labeled in FIG. 1D), â_r represents a unit vector in the r direction (labeled in FIG. 1D), β represents the wave number (canonically defined as

$\beta =\frac{2\pi }{\lambda },$

where λ is the wavelength), I₀ represents the maximum current in the cavity, V₀ represents the maximum voltage in the cavity, and z represents a distance along the QWCCR structure 100 in the z direction (labeled in FIG. 1D).

In various implementations, various electromagnetic modes of the QWCCR structure 100 can be excited in order to achieve various electromagnetic properties. In some implementations, for instance, a single electromagnetic mode can be excited, whereas in alternate implementations, a plurality of electromagnetic modes can be excited. For example, in some implementations, the TE₀₁ mode (as illustrated in FIG. 1F) can be excited.

Quality factor (Q) can be defined as:

$Q=\frac{\omega ·U}{P_L}\to U=\frac{P_L·Q}{\omega }$

where ω is the angular frequency, U is the time-average energy, and P_L is the time-average power loss. Quality factor (Q) can be used to measure goodness of a resonator cavity. Other formulations of goodness measurement can also be used (for example, based on full-width, half-max (FWHM) or a 3 decibel (dB) bandwidth of cavity resonance). In some implementations, the quality factor (Q) can be maximized when the ratio of the inner radius of the outer conductor ‘b’ to the radius of the inner conductor ‘a’ is approximately equal to 4. However, it will be understood that many other ways to adjust and/or maximize quality factor (Q) are possible and contemplated in the present disclosure.

At resonance, the stored energy of the QWCCR structure 100 oscillates between electrical energy (U_e) (within the electric field) and magnetic energy (U_m) (within the magnetic field). Time-average stored energy in the QWCCR structure 100 can be calculated using the following:

$U=U_m+U_e=\frac{1}{4}{\int }_{\mathrm{vol}}\mu {H}^2+\varepsilon {E}^2$

where μ is magnetic permeability and ε is dielectric permittivity. By inserting the values for electric field and magnetic field from above, and integrating over the entire volume of the QWCCR structure 100, the following expression can be obtained:

$U=\frac{\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)·\lambda }{64\pi }\left(\mu ·I_0^2+\varepsilon ·V_0^2\right)$

where b represents the inner radius of the outer conductor 102 of the QWCCR structure 100 (as illustrated in FIG. 1D), a represents the radius of the inner conductor 104 of the QWCCR structure 100 (as illustrated in FIG. 1D), and λ represents the wavelength of the source (for example, AC source) used to excite the QWCCR structure 100. Because the magnetic energy at maximum is the same as the electric energy at maximum, μ·I₀² can be replaced with ε·V₀², thus resulting in:

$U=\frac{\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)·\lambda }{32\pi }\left(\varepsilon ·V_0^2\right)$

Now, by equating the two above expressions for U, the following relationship can be expressed:

$\frac{P_L·Q}{\omega }=\frac{\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)·\lambda }{32\pi }\left(\varepsilon ·V_0^2\right)\to V_0=\sqrt{\frac{32\pi ·Q·P_L}{\omega ·\varepsilon ·\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)·\lambda }}$

Further, in recognizing that

$\omega =2\pi f=\frac{2\pi c}{\lambda },$

, where c is the speed of light;

$c=\sqrt{\frac{1}{\mu ·\varepsilon }};\mathrm{and}\eta =\sqrt{\frac{\mu }{\varepsilon }},$

where η is the impedance of the dielectric between the inner conductor 104 and the outer conductor 102 of the QWCCR structure 100, the following relationship for the peak potential (V₀) can be identified:

$V_0=4\sqrt{\frac{\eta ·Q·P_L}{\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}}$

Given that electric field decays as the distance from the peak potential (V₀) increases, the largest value of electric field corresponding to the peak potential (V₀) occurs exactly at the surface of the inner conductor (for example, at radius a, as illustrated in FIG. 1D). Using the above equation for phasor electric field (E), the peak value of electric field (E_a) can be expressed as:

$E_a=\frac{V_0}{2\pi a}=\frac{2}{\pi a}\sqrt{\frac{\eta ·Q·P_L}{\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}}$

If the above peak value of electric field (E_a) meets or exceeds the above-described rms breakdown field (E_b), a dielectric breakdown can occur. For example, a dielectric breakdown of the air surrounding the tip of the QWCCR structure 100 can result in a plasma corona being excited. As indicated in the above equation for peak electric field (E_a), the smaller the radius a of the inner conductor 104, the smaller the inner radius b of outer conductor 102, the higher the quality factor (Q) of the QWCCR structure 100, and the larger the time-average power loss (P_L), the more likely it is that breakdown can occur (for example, because the peak value of electric field (E_a) is larger). A larger excitation power can correspond to a larger time-average power loss (P_L) in the QWCCR structure 100, for example.

The power loss (P_L) can include ohmic losses (P_σ) on conductive surfaces (for example, the surface of the outer conductor 102, the surface of the inner conductor 104, and/or the surface of the base conductor 110, as illustrated in FIG. 1C), dielectric losses (P_σe) in the dielectric 108, and radiation losses (P_rad) from a radiating end of the QWCCR structure 100 (for example, the distal end of the QWCCR structure 100). Each of the conductors can have a corresponding surface resistance (R_S). The surface resistance (R_S) can be the same for one or more of the conductors if the corresponding conductors are made of the same conductive materials. The corresponding surface resistance for each conductor can be expressed as

$R_S=\sqrt{\frac{\omega ·{\mu }_c}{2·{\sigma }_c}},$

where μ_c is the magnetic permeability of the respective conductor and σ_c is the conductivity of the respective conductor. The power lost by each conductor can be calculated according to the following:

$P_{\sigma }=\frac{1}{2}{\int }_AR_S{H_{//}}^2$

where H_// is the magnetic field parallel to the surface of the conductor. Thus, the total power loss in all conductors can be represented by:

$P_{\sigma }=P_{\mathrm{inner}}+P_{\mathrm{outer}}+P_{\mathrm{base}}=\frac{R_S·I_0^2}{4\pi }\left[\frac{\lambda }{8·a}+\frac{\lambda }{8·b}+\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)\right]$

Further, if the dielectric 108 is an isotropic, low-loss dielectric, the dielectric 108 can be characterized by its dielectric constant (ε) and its loss tangent (tan(δ_e)), where the loss tangent (tan(δ_e)) represents conductivity and alternating molecular dipole losses. Using dielectric constant (ε) and loss tangent (tan(δ_e)), an effective dielectric conductivity (σ_e) can be approximately defined as:

σ_e≈ω·ε·tan(δ_e)

Based on the above, the power dissipated in the dielectric can be calculated according to the following:

$P_{{\sigma }_e}=\frac{1}{2}{\int }_{\mathrm{vol}}{\sigma }_e{E}^2=\frac{{\sigma }_e·\eta ·I_0^2}{4\pi }\left(\frac{\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)·\lambda }{8}\right)$

In order to combine all quality factors of the QWCCR structure 100 into a total internal quality factor (Q_int), the following relationship can be used:

$Q_{\mathrm{int}}=\frac{1}{\left(Q_{\mathrm{inner}}^{-1}+Q_{\mathrm{outer}}^{-1}+Q_{\mathrm{base}}^{-1}+Q_{{\sigma }_e}^{-1}\right)}$

where Q_inner⁻¹, Q_outer⁻¹, Q_base⁻¹, and Q_σe⁻¹ are the quality factors of the inner conductor 104, the outer conductor 102, the base conductor 110, and the dielectric 108, respectively. Using the above expression for quality factor (Q) in terms of time-average power loss (P_L), angular frequency (ω), and time-average energy (U), the following expression for internal quality factor (Q_int) can be determined:

$Q_{\mathrm{int}}={\left(\frac{R_S}{2·\pi ·\eta }\left[\frac{\left(\frac{b}{a}+1\right)}{\frac{b}{a}·\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}+8\right]+\tan \left({\delta }_e\right)\right)}^{-1}$

Based on the definitions of the individual quality factors above, the individual contribution of the outer conductor quality factor (Q_outer) to the internal quality factor (Q_int) can be greater than the individual contribution of the inner conductor quality factor (Q_inner). Thus, to increase the internal quality factor (Q_int), a material with higher conductivity can be used for the inner conductor 104 than is used for the outer conductor 102. Further, the base conductor 110 quality factor (Q_base) and the dielectric 108 quality factor (Q_σe) can be unaffected by the geometry of the QWCCR structure 100 (both in terms of

$\frac{b}{a}$

and in terms of

$\frac{b}{\lambda }).$

The QWCCR structure 100 can also radiate electromagnetic waves (for example, from a distal, non-closed end opposite the base conductor 110). For example, if the QWCCR structure 100 is being excited by an RF power source (for example, a signal generator oscillating at radio frequencies), the QWCCR structure 100 can radiate microwaves from a distal end (for example, from an aperture of the distal end) of the QWCCR structure 100. Such radiation can lead to power losses, which can be approximated using admittance. Assuming that the transverse dimensions of the QWCCR structure 100 are significantly smaller than the wavelength (λ) being used to excite the QWCCR structure 100 (in other words, a«λ and b«λ), the real part (G_r) and imaginary part (B_r) of admittance can be represented by:

$G_r\approx \frac{4·{\pi }^5·{\left[{\left(\frac{\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)}{\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}\right)}^2-{\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)}^2\right]}^2}{3·\eta ·{\ln }^2\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}$ $B_r\approx \frac{16·\pi ·\left(\frac{\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)}{\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}-\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)\right)}{\eta ·{\ln }^2\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}·\left[E\left(\frac{2\sqrt{\frac{b}{a}}}{1+\frac{b}{a}}\right)-1\right]$

where E(x) is the complete elliptical integral of the second kind. Namely:

$E\left(x\right)={\int }_0^{\frac{\pi }{2}}\sqrt{1-x^2·{\sin }^2\left(\theta \right)}·d\theta$

Further, the line integral of the electric field from the inner conductor 104 to the outer conductor 102 can be used to determine the potential difference (V_ab) across the shunt admittance corresponding to the electromagnetic waves radiated.

$V_{\mathrm{ab}}{|}_{\mathrm{\beta z}=\frac{\pi }{4}}={\int }_{a\to b}E_r=\frac{V_0\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}{2\pi }$

Using the potential difference (V_ab) across the shunt admittance corresponding to the electromagnetic waves radiated, the power going to radiation (P_rad) can be represented by:

$P_{\mathrm{rad}}=\frac{1}{2}G_rV_{\mathrm{ab}}^2=\frac{V_0{{{\pi }^3\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)}^4\left[{\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}^2-1\right]}^2}{6{\eta \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}^4}$

In addition, using the potential difference (V_ab) across the shunt admittance corresponding to the electromagnetic waves radiated, the energy stored during radiation (U_rad) can be represented by:

$U_{\mathrm{rad}}=\frac{1}{4}\left(\frac{\mathrm{Br}}{\omega }\right)V_{\mathrm{ab}}^2=\frac{\varepsilon V_0^2\lambda \left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)\left[{\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}^{-1}+1\right]}{2{\pi }^2}\left[E\left(\frac{2\sqrt{\frac{b}{a}}}{1+\frac{b}{a}}\right)-1\right]$

Based on the above, the overall quality factor of the QWCCR structure 100 (Q_QWCCR) can be described by the following:

$Q_{\mathrm{QWCCR}}=\frac{\omega \left(U+U_{\mathrm{rad}}\right)}{P_{\mathrm{inner}}+P_{\mathrm{outer}}+P_{\mathrm{base}}+P_{{\sigma }_e}+P_{\mathrm{rad}}}$

If the energy stored during radiation (U_rad) is small compared with the energy stored in the interior of the QWCCR structure 100 (U), the radiation power (P_rad) can be treated similarly to the other losses. Further, the energy stored during radiation (U_rad) can be neglected in the above equation:

$Q\approx \frac{\omega \left(U\right)}{P_{\mathrm{inner}}+P_{\mathrm{outer}}+P_{\mathrm{base}}+P_{{\sigma }_e}+P_{\mathrm{rad}}}$

Still further, the quality factor of the radiation component (Q_rad) can be described using the above relationship for quality factors:

$Q_{\mathrm{rad}}=\frac{\omega U}{P_{\mathrm{rad}}}=\frac{3{\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)}^4\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}{8{{{\pi }^3\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)}^4\left[{\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}^2-1\right]}^2}$

Even further, using the above-referenced quality factors, the total quality factor of the QWCCR structure 100 (Q_QWCCR) can be approximated by:

$Q_{\mathrm{QWCCR}}\approx {\left(\frac{8{{{\pi }^3\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)}^4\left[{\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}^2-1\right]}^2}{3{\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}^4\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}+\frac{R_S}{2\mathrm{\pi \eta }}\left[\frac{\left(\left(\frac{b}{a}\right)+1\right)}{\left(\frac{b}{\lambda }\right)\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}+8\right]+\tan \left({\delta }_e\right)\right)}^{-1}$

Based on the above relationships, it can be shown that one method of minimizing losses due to radiation of electromagnetic waves by the QWCCR structure 100 is to minimize the inner radius b of the outer conductor 102 with respect to the excitation wavelength (λ). Another way of minimizing losses due to radiation of electromagnetic waves is to select an inner radius b of the outer conductor 102 that is close in dimension to the radius a of the inner conductor 104.

Various physical quantities and dimensions of the QWCCR structure 100 can be adjusted to modify performance of the QWCCR structure 100. For example, physical quantities and dimensions can be modified to maximize and/or optimize the total quality factor of the QWCCR structure 100 (Q_QWCCR). In some implementations, different dielectrics can be inserted into the QWCCR structure 100. In one implementation, the dielectric 108 can include a composite of multiple dielectric materials. For example, a half of the dielectric 108 near a proximal end of the QWCCR structure 100 can include alumina ceramic while a half of the dielectric 108 near a distal end of the QWCCR structure 100 can include air. The resonant frequency can be based on the dimensions and the fabrication materials of the QWCCR structure 100. Hence, modification of the dielectric 108 can modify a resonant frequency of the QWCCR structure 100. In some implementations, the resonant frequency can be 2.45 GHz based on the dimensions of the QWCCR structure 100. In other implementations, the resonant frequency of the QWCCR structure 100 could be within an inclusive range between 1 GHz to 100 GHz. In still other implementations, the resonant frequency of the QWCCR structure 100 could be within an inclusive range of 100 MHz to 1 GHz or an inclusive range of 100 GHz to 300 GHz. However, other resonant frequencies are contemplated within the context of the present disclosure.

An RF power source exciting the QWCCR structure 100 can generate a standing electromagnetic wave within the QWCCR structure 100. In some implementations, the resonant frequency of the QWCCR structure 100 can be designed to match the frequency of an RF power source that is exciting the QWCCR structure 100 (for example, to maximize power transferred to the QWCCR structure 100). For example, if a desired excitation frequency corresponds to a wavelength of λ₀, dimensions of the QWCCR structure 100 can be modified such that the electrical length of the QWCCR structure 100 is an odd-integer multiple of quarter wavelengths (for example, 1/4λ₀, 3/4λ₀, 5/4λ₀, 7/4λ₀, 9/4λ₀,

$\frac{11}{4}{\lambda }_0,\frac{13}{4}{\lambda }_0,$

etc.). The electrical length is a measure of the length of a resonator in terms of the wavelength of an electromagnetic wave used to excite the resonator. The QWCCR structure 100 can be designed for a given resonant frequency based on the dimensions of the QWCCR structure 100 (for example, adjusting dimensions of the inner conductor 104, the outer conductor 102, or the dielectric 108) or the materials of the QWCCR structure 100 (for example, adjusting materials of the inner conductor 104, the outer conductor 102, or the dielectric 108).

In other implementations, the resonant frequency of the QWCCR structure 100 can be designed or adjusted such that its resonant frequency does not match the frequency of an RF power source that is exciting the QWCCR structure 100 (for example, to reduce power transferred to the QWCCR structure 100). Analogously, the frequency of an RF power source can be de-tuned relative to the resonant frequency of a QWCCR structure 100 that is being excited by the RF power source. Additionally or alternatively, the physical quantities and dimensions of the QWCCR structure 100 can be modified to enhance the amount of energy radiated (for example, from the distal end) in the form of electromagnetic waves (for example, microwaves) from the QWCCR structure 100. As an example, one or more elements of the QWCCR structure 100 could be movable or otherwise adjustable so as to modify the resonant properties of the QWCCR structure 100. Enhancing the amount of energy radiated might be done at the expense of maximizing the electric field at a concentrator of the electrode 106 at the distal end of the inner conductor 104. For example, some implementations can include slots or openings in the outer conductor 102 to increase the amount of radiated energy despite possibly reducing a quality factor of the QWCCR structure 100.

In still other implementations, the physical quantities and dimensions of the QWCCR structure 100 can be designed in such a way so as to enhance the intensity of an electric field at a concentrator of the electrode 106 of the QWCCR structure 100. Enhancing the electric field at a concentrator of the electrode 106 of the QWCCR structure 100 can result in an increase in plasma corona excitation (for example, an increase in dielectric breakdown near the concentrator), when the QWCCR structure 100 is excited with sufficiently high RF power/current. To increase electric field at a concentrator of the electrode 106 of the QWCCR structure 100, a radius of the concentrator can be minimized (for example, configured as a very sharp structure, such as a tip). Additionally or alternatively, to increase the electric field at a tip of the QWCCR structure 100 (for example, thereby increasing the intensity and/or size of an excited plasma corona), the intrinsic impedance (η) of the dielectric 108 can be increased, the power used to excite the QWCCR structure 100 can be increased, and the total quality factor of the QWCCR structure 100 (Q_QWCCR) can be increased (for example, by increasing the volume energy storage (U) of the cavity or by minimizing the surface and radiation losses).

Further, the shunt capacitance (C) of a circular coaxial cavity (for example, in farads/meter, and neglecting fringing fields) can be expressed as follows:

$C=\frac{2{\mathrm{\pi \varepsilon }}_0{\varepsilon }_r}{\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}$

where ε₀ represents the permittivity of free space, ε_r represents the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric 108 between the inner conductor 104 and the outer conductor 102, b is the inner radius of the outer conductor 102, and a is the radius of the inner conductor 104 (as illustrated in FIG. 1D).

Similarly, the shunt inductance (L) of a circular coaxial cavity (for example, in henrys/meter) can be expressed as follows:

$L=\frac{{\mu }_0{\mu }_r}{2\pi }\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)$

where μ₀ represents the permeability of free space, μ_r represents the relative permeability of the dielectric 108 between the inner conductor 104 and the outer conductor 102, b is the inner radius of the outer conductor 102, and a is the radius of the inner conductor 104 (as illustrated in FIG. 1D).

Based on the above, the complex impedance (Z) of a circular coaxial cavity (for example, in ohms, Ω) can be expressed as follows:

$Z=\sqrt{\frac{R+j\omega L}{G+j\omega C}}$

where G represents the conductance per unit length of the dielectric between the inner conductor and the outer conductor, R represents the resistance per unit length of the QWCCR structure 100, j represents the imaginary unit (for example, √{square root over (−1)}), ω represents the frequency at which the QWCCR structure 100 is being excited, L represents the shunt inductance of the QWCCR structure 100, and C represents the shunt capacitance of the QWCCR structure 100.

At very high frequencies (for example, GHz frequencies) the complex impedance (Z) can be approximated by:

$Z_0=\sqrt{\frac{L}{C}}$

where Z₀ represents the characteristic impedance of the QWCCR structure 100 (in other words, the complex impedance (Z) of the QWCCR structure 100 at high frequencies).

As described above, the shunt inductance (L) and the shunt capacitance (C) of the QWCCR structure 100 depend on the relative permeability (μ_r) and the relative dielectric constant (ε_r), respectively, of the dielectric 108 between the inner conductor 104 and the outer conductor 102. Thus, any modification to either the relative permeability (μ_r) or the relative dielectric constant (ε_r) of the dielectric 108 between the inner conductor 104 and the outer conductor 102 can result in a modification of the characteristic impedance (Z₀) of the QWCCR structure 100. Such modifications to impedance can be measured using an impedance measurement device (for example, an oscilloscope, a spectrum analyzer, and/or an AC volt meter).

The above characteristic impedance (Z₀) represents an impedance calculated by neglecting fringing fields. In some applications and implementations, the fringing fields can be non-negligible (for example, the fringing fields can significantly impact the impedance of the QWCCR structure 100). Further, in such implementations, the composition of the materials surrounding the QWCCR structure 100 can affect the characteristic impedance (Z₀) of the QWCCR structure 100. Measurements of such changes to characteristic impedance (Z₀) can provide information regarding the environment (for example, a combustion chamber) surrounding the QWCCR structure 100 (for example, the temperature, pressure, or atomic composition of the environment). A change in the characteristic impedance (Z₀) can coincide with a change in the cutoff frequency, resonant frequency, short-circuit condition, open-circuit condition, lumped-circuit model, mode distribution, etc. of the QWCCR structure 100.

FIG. 1G illustrates a quarter-wave resonance condition of the QWCCR structure 100. The y-axis of the plot corresponds to a power of electromagnetic waves radiated from a distal end of the QWCCR structure 100 and the x-axis corresponds to an excitation frequency (ω) (for example, from a radio-frequency power source that is electromagnetically coupled to the QWCCR structure 100) used to excite the QWCCR structure 100. As illustrated, the shape of the curve can be a Lorentzian.

As illustrated in FIG. 1G the curve has a maximum power at a quarter-wave (λ/4) resonance. This resonance can correspond to excitation frequency (ω) that has an associated excitation wavelength that is four times the length of the QWCCR structure 100. In other words, at the resonant frequency (ω₀) the QWCCR structure 100 is being excited by a standing wave, where one-quarter of the length of the standing wave is equal to the length of the QWCCR structure 100. Although not illustrated, it is understood that the QWCCR structure 100 could experience additional resonances (for example, at odd-integer multiples of the resonant wavelength: 3/4λ₀, 5/4λ₀, 7/4λ₀, 9/4λ₀,

$\frac{11}{4}{\lambda }_0,\frac{13}{4}{\lambda }_0,$

etc.). Each of the additional resonances could look similar to the resonance illustrated in FIG. 1G (for example, could have a Lorentzian shape).

As illustrated, the power of the electromagnetic waves radiated from the distal end of the QWCCR structure 100 decreases exponentially the further the excitation frequency (ω) is from the resonant frequency (ω₀). However, the power of the electromagnetic waves is not necessarily zero as soon as you move away from resonance. Hence, it is understood that even when excited near the quarter-wave resonance condition (in other words, proximate to the quarter-wave resonance condition), rather than exactly at the resonance condition, the QWCCR structure 100 can still radiate electromagnetic waves with non-zero power and/or provide a plasma corona, depending on arrangement.

When the QWCCR structure 100 is being excited such that it provides a plasma corona proximate to the distal end (for example, at the electrode 106), a plot with a shape similar to that of FIG. 1G could be provided. In such a scenario, a plot of voltage at the electrode 106 versus excitation frequency (ω) could include a Gaussian shape, rather than a Lorentzian shape. In other words, the voltage at the electrode 106 may reach a peak when excited by a resonant frequency. The voltage at the electrode 106 may fall off exponentially according to a Gaussian shape as the excitation frequency moves away from the resonant frequency. It will be understood that the Gaussian and Lorentzian shapes presently described may be based on one or more characteristics of the QWCCR structure 100, such as its shape, quality factor, bias conditions, or other factors.

It is understood that when the term “proximate” is used to describe a relationship between a wavelength of a signal (for example, a signal used to excite the QWCCR structure 100) and a resonant wavelength of a resonator (for example, the QWCCR structure 100), the term “proximate” can describe a difference in length. For example, if the wavelength of the signal is “proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter of the resonant wavelength,” the wavelength of the signal can be equal to, within 0.001% of, within 0.01% of, within 0.1% of, within 1.0% of, within 5.0% of, within 10.0% of, within 15.0% of, within 20.0% of, and/or within 25.0% of one-quarter of the resonant wavelength. Additionally or alternatively, if the wavelength of the signal is “proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter of the resonant wavelength,” the wavelength of the signal can be within 0.1 nm, within 1.0 nm, within 10.0 nm, within 0.1 micrometers, within 1.0 micrometers, within 10.0 micrometers, within 0.1 millimeters, within 1.0 millimeters, and/or within 1.0 centimeters of one-quarter of the resonant wavelength, depending on context (for example, depending on the resonant wavelength). Still further, if the wavelength of the signal is “proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter of the resonant wavelength,” the wavelength of the signal can be a multiple of one-quarter of the resonant wavelength that is an odd number plus or minus 0.5, an odd number plus or minus 0.1, an odd number plus or minus 0.01, an odd number plus or minus 0.001, and/or an odd number plus or minus 0.0001.

The quality factor of the QWCCR structure 100 (Q_QWCCR), described above, can be used to describe the width and/or the sharpness of the resonance (in other words, how quickly the power drops off as you excite the QWCCR structure 100 further and further from the resonance condition). For example, a square root of the quality factor can correspond to the voltage modification experienced at the electrode 106 of the QWCCR structure 100 when the QWCRR structure 100 is excited at the quarter-wave resonant condition. Additionally, the quality factor may be equal to the resonant frequency (ω₀) divided by full width at half maximum (FWHM). The FWHM is equal to the width of the curve in terms of frequency between the two points on the curve where the power is equal to 50% of the maximum power, as illustrated). The 50% power maximum point can also be referred to as the −3 decibel (dB) point, because it is the point at which the maximum voltage at the distal end of the QWCCR structure 100 decreases by 3 dB (or 29.29% for voltage) and the maximum power radiated by the QWCCR structure 100 decreases by 3 dB (or 50% for power). In various implementations, the FWHM of the QWCCR structure 100 could have various values. For example, the FWHM could be between 5 MHz and 10 MHz, between 10 MHz and 20 MHz, between 20 MHz and 40 MHz, between 40 MHz and 60 MHz, between 60 MHz and 80 MHz, or between 80 MHz and 100 MHz. Other FWHM values are also possible.

Further, the quality factor of the QWCCR structure 100 (Q_QWCCR) can also take various values in various implementations. For example, the quality factor could be between 25 and 50, between 50 and 75, between 75 and 100, between 100 and 125, between 125 and 150, between 150 and 175, between 175 and 200, between 200 and 300, between 300 and 400, between 400 and 500, between 500 and 600, between 600 and 700, between 700 and 800, between 800 and 900, between 900 and 1000, or between 1000 and 1100. Other quality factor values are also possible.

It is understood that, in alternate implementations, alternate structures (for example, alternate quarter-wave structures) can be used to emit electromagnetic radiation and/or excite plasma coronas (for example, other structures that concentrate electric field at specific locations using points or tips with sufficiently small radii). For example, other quarter-wave resonant structures, such as a coaxial-cavity resonator (sometimes referred to as a “coaxial resonator”), a dielectric resonator, a crystal resonator, a ceramic resonator, a surface-acoustic-wave resonator, a yttrium-iron-garnet resonator, a rectangular-waveguide cavity resonator, a parallel-plate resonator, a gap-coupled microstrip resonator, etc. can be used to excite a plasma corona.

Further, it is understood that wherever in this disclosure the terms “resonator,” “QWCCR,” “QWCCR structure,” and “coaxial resonator,” are used, any of the structures enumerated in the preceding paragraph could be used, assuming appropriate modifications are made to a corresponding system. In addition, the terms “resonator,” “QWCCR,” “QWCCR structure,” and “coaxial resonator” are not to be construed as inclusive or all-encompassing, but rather as examples of a particular structure that could be included in a particular implementation. Still further, when a “QWCCR structure” is described, the QWCCR structure can correspond to a coaxial resonator, a coaxial resonator with an additional base conductor, a coaxial resonator excited by a signal with a wavelength that corresponds to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of a length of the coaxial resonator, and other structures, in various implementations.

Additionally, whenever any “QWCCR,” “QWCCR structure,” “coaxial resonator,” “resonator,” or any of the specific resonators in this disclosure or in the claims are described as being “configured such that, when the resonator is excited by the radio-frequency power source with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of the resonant wavelength, the resonator provides at least one of a plasma corona or electromagnetic waves,” some or all of the following are contemplated, depending on context. First, the corresponding resonator could be configured to provide a plasma corona when excited by the radio-frequency power source with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of a resonant wavelength of the resonator. Second, the corresponding resonator could be configured to provide electromagnetic waves when excited by the radio-frequency power source with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of a resonant wavelength of the resonator. Third, the corresponding resonator could be configured to provide, when excited by the radio-frequency power source with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of a resonant wavelength of the resonator, both a plasma corona and electromagnetic waves.

V. Example Resonator Systems

In some implementations, the coaxial resonator 201 can be used as an antenna (for example, instead of or in addition to generating a plasma corona). As an antenna, the coaxial resonator 201 can radiate electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic waves can consequently influence charged particles. As illustrated in the system 200 of FIG. 2, such electromagnetic waves can be radiated when the coaxial resonator 201 is excited by a signal generator 202. For example, the signal generator 202 can be coupled to the coaxial resonator 201 in order to excite the coaxial resonator 201 (for example, to excite a plasma corona and to produce electromagnetic waves). Such a coupling can include inductive coupling (for example, using an induction feed loop), parallel capacitive coupling (for example, using a parallel plate capacitor), or non-parallel capacitive coupling (for example, using an electric field applied opposite a non-zero voltage conductor end). Further, the electrical distance between the signal generator 202 and the coaxial resonator 201 can be optimized (for example, minimized or adjusted based on wavelength of an RF signal) in order to minimize the amount of energy lost to heating and/or to maximize a quality factor. Further, in some implementations, the coaxial resonator 201 can radiate acoustic waves when excited (for example, at resonance). The acoustic waves produced can induce motion in nearby particles, for example.

The signal generator 202 can be a device that produces periodic waveforms (for example, using an oscillator circuit). In various implementations, the signal generator 202 can produce a sinusoidal waveform, a square waveform, a triangular waveform, a pulsed waveform, or a sawtooth waveform. Further, the signal generator 202 can produce waveforms with various frequencies (for example, frequencies between 1 Hz and 1 THz). The electromagnetic waves radiated from the coaxial resonator 201 can be based on the waveform produced by the signal generator 202. For example, if the waveforms produced by the signal generator 202 are sinusoidal waves having frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz (for example, between 1 GHz and 100 GHz), the electromagnetic waves radiated by coaxial resonator 201 can be microwaves. In various implementations, the signal generator 202 can, itself, be powered by an AC power source or a DC power source.

Depending on the signal used by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201, the coaxial resonator 201 can additionally excite one or more plasma coronas. For example, if a large enough voltage is used to excite the coaxial resonator 201, a plasma corona can be excited at the distal end of the electrode 106 (for example, at a concentrator of the electrode 106). In some implementations, a voltage step-up device can be electrically coupled between the signal generator 202 and the coaxial resonator 201. In such scenarios, the voltage step-up device can be operable to increase an amplitude of the AC voltage used to excite the coaxial resonator 201.

In some implementations, the signal generator 202 can include one or more of the following: an internal power supply; an oscillator (for example, an RF oscillator, a surface acoustic wave resonator, or a yttrium-iron-garnet resonator); and an amplifier. The oscillator can generate a time-varying current and/or voltage (for example, using an oscillator circuit). The internal power supply can provide power to the oscillator. In some implementations, the internal power supply can include, for example, a DC battery (for example, a marine battery, an automotive battery, an aircraft battery, etc.), an alternator, a generator, a solar cell, and/or a fuel cell. In other implementations, the internal power supply can include a rectified AC power supply (for example, an electrical connection to a wall socket passed through a rectifier). The amplifier can magnify the power that is output by the oscillator (for example, to provide sufficient power to the coaxial resonator 201 to excite plasma coronas). For example, the amplifier can multiply the current and/or the voltage output by the oscillator. Additionally, in some implementations, the signal generator 202 can include a dedicated controller that executes instructions to control the signal generator 202.

Additionally or alternatively, as illustrated in the system 300 of FIG. 3A, the coaxial resonator 201 can be electrically coupled (for example, using a wired connection or wirelessly) to a DC power source 302. Further, in some implementations, an RF cancellation resonator (not shown) can prevent RF power (for example, from the signal generator 202) from reaching, and potentially interfering with, the DC power source 302. The RF cancellation resonator can include resistive elements, lumped-element inductors, and/or a frequency cancellation circuit.

In some implementations, the DC power source 302 can include a dedicated controller that executes instructions to control the DC power source 302. The DC power source 302 can provide a bias signal (for example, corresponding to a DC bias condition) for the coaxial resonator 201. For example, a DC voltage difference between the inner conductor 104 and the outer conductor 102 of the coaxial resonator 201 in FIG. 3A can be established by the DC power source 302 by increasing the DC voltage of the inner conductor 104 and/or decreasing the DC voltage of the outer conductor 102 (given the orientation of the positive terminal and negative terminal of the DC power source 302). In other implementations, a DC voltage difference between the inner conductor 104 and the outer conductor 102 can be established by the DC power source 302 by decreasing the DC voltage of the inner conductor 104 and/or increasing the DC voltage of the outer conductor 102 (if the orientation of the positive terminal and negative terminal of the DC power source 302 in FIG. 3A were reversed). The bias signal (for example, the voltage of the bias signal and/or the current of the bias signal) output by the DC power source 302 can be adjustable.

By providing the coaxial resonator 201 with a bias signal, an increased voltage can be presented at a concentrator of the electrode 106, thereby yielding an increased electric field at the concentrator of the electrode 106. The total electric field at the concentrator can thus be a sum of the electric field from the bias signal of the DC power source 302 and the electric field from the signal generator 202 exciting the coaxial resonator 201 at a resonance condition (for example, exciting the coaxial resonator 201 at a quarter-wave resonance condition so the electric field of the signal from the signal generator 202 reaches a maximum at the distal end of the coaxial resonator 201). Because of this increased total electric field, an excitation of a plasma corona near the concentrator can be more probable.

As an alternative, rather than using a bias signal, the signal generator 202 can simply excite the coaxial resonator 201 using a higher voltage. However, this might use considerably more power than providing a bias signal and augmenting that bias signal with an AC voltage oscillation.

In some implementations, the DC power source 302 can be switchable (for example, can generate the bias signal when switched on and not generate the bias signal when switched off). As such, the DC power source 302 can be switched on when a plasma corona output is desired from coaxial resonator 201 and can be switched off when a plasma corona output is not desired from coaxial resonator 201. For example, the DC power source 302 can be switched on during an ignition sequence (for example, a sequence where fuel is being ignited within a combustion chamber to begin combustion), but switched off during a reforming sequence (for example, a sequence in which electromagnetic radiation is being used to chemically modify fuel). Further, in some implementations, the electric field at the concentrator of the electrode 106 used to initiate the plasma corona can be larger than the electric field at the concentrator used to sustain the plasma corona. Hence, in some implementations, the DC power source 302 can be switched on in order to excite the plasma corona, but switched off while the plasma corona is maintained by the signal from the signal generator 202.

In alternate implementations, the system 200 of FIG. 2 and/or the system 300 of FIG. 3A can include a plurality of coaxial resonators 201. If the system 200 of FIG. 2 includes a plurality of coaxial resonators 201, the plurality of coaxial resonators 201 can each be electrically coupled to the same signal generator (for example, such that each of the plurality of coaxial resonators 201 is excited by the same signal), can each be electrically coupled to a respective signal generator (for example, such that each of the plurality of coaxial resonators 201 is independently excited, thereby allowing for unique excitation frequency, power, etc. for each of the plurality of coaxial resonators 201), or one set of the plurality of coaxial resonators 201 can be connected to a common signal generator and another set of the plurality of coaxial resonators 201 can be connected to one or more other signal generators, which could be similar or different from signal generator 202. In implementations of the system 300 that include a plurality of coaxial resonators 201, each of the coaxial resonators 201 can be attached to a respective DC power source (for example, multiple instances of DC power source 302) and a common signal generator (for example, such that a bias signal can be independently switchable and/or adjustable for each coaxial resonator 201, while maintaining a common excitation waveform across all coaxial resonators 201 in the system 300), different signal generators and a common DC power source (for example, such that a bias signal can be jointly switchable across all coaxial resonators 201 in the system 300, while maintaining an independent excitation waveform for each coaxial resonator 201), or different DC power sources and different signal generators (for example, such that the bias signal is independently switchable for each coaxial resonator 201, while maintaining an independent excitation waveform for each coaxial resonator 201).

FIG. 3B illustrates a circuit diagram of the system 300 of FIG. 3A, which includes the signal generator 202, the DC power source 302, and the coaxial resonator 201 (illustrated in vertical cross-section). As illustrated, similar to the QWCCR structure 100, the coaxial resonator 201 includes an outer conductor 322, an inner conductor 324 (including an electrode 326), and a dielectric 328. In addition, when the DC power source 302 is switched off, the circuit illustrated in FIG. 3B may not be an open-circuit. Instead, the signal generator 202 can simply be shorted to the inner conductor 324 when the DC power source 302 is switched off. As illustrated, the outer conductor 322 can be electrically coupled to ground. Further, the signal generator 202 and the DC power source 302 can be connected in series, with their negative terminals connected to ground. The positive terminals of the signal generator 202 and the DC power source 302 can be electrically coupled to the inner conductor 324. Consequently, the electrode 326 can also be electrically coupled to the positive terminals through an electrical coupling between the inner conductor 324 and the electrode 326.

In alternate implementations, the negative terminals of the signal generator 202 and the DC power source 302 can instead be connected to the inner conductor 324 and the positive terminals can be connected to the outer conductor 322. In this way, the signal generator 202 and the DC power source 302 can instead apply a negative voltage (relative to ground) to the electrode 326 and/or inner conductor 324, rather than a positive voltage (relative to ground). Further, in some implementations, the negative terminals of the DC power source 302 and the signal generator 202 and/or the inner conductor 324 might not be grounded.

As stated above, the DC power source 302 can be switchable. In this way a positive bias signal or a negative bias signal can be selectively applied to the inner conductor 324 and/or the electrode 326 relative to the outer conductor 322. When the DC power source 302 is switched on, a bias condition can be present, and when the DC power source 302 is switched off, a bias condition might not be present. A bias signal provided by the DC power source 302 can increase the electric potential, and thus the electric field, at the electrode 326 (for example, at a concentrator of the electrode 106, such as a tip, edge, or blade). By increasing the electric field at the electrode 326, dielectric breakdown and potentially plasma excitation can be more prevalent. Thus, by switching on the DC power source 302, the amount of plasma excited at a plasma corona can be enhanced.

In some implementations, the voltage of the DC power source 302 can range from +1 kV to +100 kV. Alternatively, the voltage of the DC power source 302 can range from −1 kV to −100 kV. Even further, the voltage of the DC power source 302 can be adjustable in some implementations. Furthermore, the voltage of the DC power source 302 can be pulsed, ramped, etc. For example, the voltage can be adjusted by a controller connected to the DC power source 302. In such implementations, the voltage of the DC power source 302 can be adjusted by the controller according to sensor data (for example, sensor data corresponding to temperature, pressure, fuel composition, etc.).

As illustrated in FIG. 4A, an example system 400 can include a controller 402. In various implementations, the controller 402 can include a variety of components. For example, the controller 402 can include a desktop computing device, a laptop computing device, a server computing device (for example, a cloud server), a mobile computing device, a microcontroller (for example, embedded within a control system of a power-generation turbine, an automobile, or an aircraft), and/or a microprocessor. As illustrated, the controller 402 can be communicatively coupled to the signal generator 202, the DC power source 302, an impedance sensor 404, and one or more other sensors 406. Through the communicative couplings, the controller 402 can receive signals/data from various components of the system 400 and control/provide data to various components of the system 400. For example, the controller 402 can switch the DC power source 302 in order to provide a time-modulated bias signal to the coaxial resonator 201 (for example, during an ignition sequence within a combustion chamber adjacent to, coupled to, or surrounding the coaxial resonator 201).

Further, a “communicative coupling,” as presently disclosed, is understood to cover a broad variety of connections between components, based on context. “Communicative couplings” can include direct and/or indirect couplings between components in various implementations. In some implementations, for example, a “communicative coupling” can include an electrical coupling between two (or more) components (for example, a physical connection between the two (or more) components that allows for electrical interaction, such as a direct wired connection used to read a sensor value from a sensor). Additionally or alternatively, a “communicative coupling” can include an electromagnetic coupling between two (or more) components (for example, a connection between the two (or more) components that allows for electromagnetic interaction, such as a wireless interaction based on optical coupling, inductive coupling, capacitive coupling, or coupling though evanescent electric and/or magnetic fields). In addition, a “communicative coupling” can include a connection (for example, over the public internet) in which one or more of the coupled components can transmit signals/data to and/or receive signals/data from one or more of the other coupled components. In various implementations, the “communicative coupling” can be unidirectional (in other words, one component sends signals and another component receives the signals) or bidirectional (in other words, both components send and receive signals). Other directionality combinations are also possible for communicative couplings involving more than two components. One example of a communicative coupling could be the controller 402 communicatively coupled to the coaxial resonator 201, where the controller 402 reads a voltage and/or current value from the resonator directly. Another example of a communicative coupling could be the controller 402 communicating with a remote server over the public Internet to access a look-up table. Additional communicative couplings are also contemplated in the present disclosure.

In some implementations, the controller 402 can control one or more settings of the signal generator 202 (for example, waveform shape, output frequency, output power amplitude, output current amplitude, or output voltage amplitude) or the DC power source 302 (for example, switching on or off or adjusting the level of the bias signal). For example, the controller 402 can control the bias signal of the DC power source 302 (for example, a voltage of the bias signal) based on a calculated voltage used to excite a plasma corona (for example, based on conditions within a combustion chamber). The calculated voltage can account for the voltage amplitude being output by the signal generator 202, in some implementations. The calculated voltage can ensure, for example, that the bias signal has a small effect on any standing electromagnetic wave formed within the coaxial resonator 201 based on an output of the signal generator 202.

The controller 402 can be located nearby the signal generator 202, the DC power source 302, the impedance sensor 404, and/or the one or more other sensors 406. For example, the controller 402 may be connected by a wire connection to the signal generator 202, the DC power source 302, the impedance sensor 404, and/or the one or more other sensors 406. Alternatively, the controller 402 can be remotely located relative to the signal generator 202, the DC power source 302, the impedance sensor 404, and/or the one or more other sensors 406. For example, the controller 402 can communicate with the signal generator 202, the DC power source 302, the impedance sensor 404, and/or the one or more other sensors 406 over BLUETOOTH®, over BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY (BLE)®, over the public Internet, over WIFI® (IEEE 802.11 standards), over a wireless wide area network (WWAN), etc.

In some implementations, the controller 402 can be communicatively coupled to fewer components within the system 400 (for example, only communicatively coupled to the DC power source 302). Further, in implementations that include fewer components than illustrated in the system 400 (for example, in implementations, having only the coaxial resonator 201, the signal generator 202, and the controller 402), the controller 402 can interact with fewer components of the system 400. For instance, the controller can interact only with the signal generator 202.

The impedance sensor 404 can be connected to the coaxial resonator 201 (for example, one lead to the inner conductor 324 of the coaxial resonator 201 and one lead to the outer conductor 322 of the coaxial resonator 201) to measure an impedance of the coaxial resonator 201. In some implementations, the impedance sensor 404 can include an oscilloscope, a spectrum analyzer, and/or an AC volt meter. The impedance measured by the impedance sensor 404 can be transmitted to the controller 402 (for example, as a digital signal or an analog signal). In some implementations, the impedance sensor 404 can be integrated with the controller 402 or connected to the controller 402 through a printed circuit board (PCB) or other mechanism. The impedance data can be used by the controller 402 to perform calculations and to adjust control of the signal generator 202 and/or the DC power source 302.

Similarly, the other sensors 406 can also transmit data to the controller 402. Analogous to the impedance sensor 404, in some implementations, the other sensors 406 can be integrated with the controller 402 or connected to the controller 402 through a PCB or other mechanism. The other sensors 406 can include a variety of sensors, such as one or more of: a fuel gauge, a tachometer (for example, to measure revolutions per minute (RPM)), an altimeter, a barometer, a thermometer, a sensor that measures fuel composition, a gas chromatograph, a sensor measuring fuel-to-air ratio in a given fuel/air mixture, an anemometer, a torque sensor, a vibrometer, an accelerometer, or a load cell.

In some implementations, the controller 402 can be powered by the DC power source 302. In other implementations, the controller 402 can be independently powered by a separate DC power source or an AC power source (for example, rectified within the controller 402).

As an example, a possible implementation of the controller 402 is illustrated in FIG. 4B. As illustrated, the controller 402 can include a processor 452, a memory 454, and a network interface 456. The processor 452, the memory 454, and the network interface 456 can be communicatively coupled over a system bus 450. The system bus 450, in some implementations, can be defined within a PCB.

The processor 452 can include one or more central processing units (CPUs), such as one or more general purpose processors and/or one or more dedicated processors (for example, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), or network processors). The processor 452 can be configured to execute instructions (for example, instructions stored within the memory 454) to perform various actions. Rather than a processor 452, some implementations can include hardware logic (for example, one or more resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) circuits, flip-flops, latches, etc.) that performs actions (for example, based on the inputs from the impedance sensor 404 or the other sensors 406).

The memory 454 can store instructions that are executable by the processor 452 to carry out the various methods, processes, or operations presently disclosed. Alternatively, the method, processes, or operations can be defined by hardware, firmware, or any combination of hardware, firmware, or software. Further, the memory 454 can store data related to the signal generator 202 (for example, control signals), the DC power source 302 (for example, switching signals), the impedance sensor 404 (for example, look-up tables related to changes in impedance and/or a characteristic impedance of the coaxial resonator 201 based on certain environmental factors), and/or the other sensors 406 (for example, a look-up table of typical wind speeds based on elevation).

The memory 454 can include non-volatile memory. For example, the memory 454 can include a read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), a hard drive (for example, hard disk), and/or a solid-state drive (SSD). Additionally or alternatively, the memory 454 can include volatile memory. For example, the memory 454 can include a random-access memory (RAM), flash memory, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), and/or static random-access memory (SRAM). In some implementations, the memory 454 can be partially or wholly integrated with the processor 452.

The network interface 456 can enable the controller 402 to communicate with the other components of the system 400 and/or with outside computing device(s). The network interface 456 can include one or more ports (for example, serial ports) and/or an independent network interface controller (for example, an Ethernet controller). In some implementations, the network interface 456 can be communicatively coupled to the impedance sensor 404 or one or more of the other sensors 406. Additionally or alternatively, the network interface 456 can be communicatively coupled to the signal generator 202, the DC power source 302, or an outside computing device (for example, a user device). Communicative couplings between the network interface 456 and other components can be wireless (for example, over WIFI®, BLUETOOTH®, BLUETOOTH LOW ENERGY (BLE)®, or a WWAN) or wireline (for example, over token ring, t-carrier connection, Ethernet, a trace in a PCB, or a wire connection).

In some implementations, the controller 402 can also include a user-input device (not shown). For example, the user-input device can include a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, etc. Further, in some implementations, the controller 402 can include a display or other user-feedback device (for example, one or more status lights, a speaker, a printer, etc.) (not shown). That status of the controller 402 can alternatively be provided to a user device through the network interface 456. For example, a user device such as a personal computer or a mobile computing device can communicate with the controller 402 through the network interface 456 to retrieve the values of one or more of the other sensors 406 (for example, to be displayed on a display of the user device).

VI. Resonators with Fuel Injection

As illustrated in FIG. 5, in some implementations, the QWCCR structure 100 (or the coaxial resonator 201) can be attached to a fuel tank 502. The fuel tank 502 can provide a fuel source for a combustion chamber or other environment, for example. The fuel tank 502 can contain or be connected to a fuel pump 504 through a fuel-supply line (for example, a hose or a pipe). The fuel pump 504 can transfer fuel from the fuel tank 502 into the fuel-supply line and propel the fuel through a fuel conduit 506 defined by or disposed within the inner conductor 104 of the QWCCR structure 100. For example, the fuel pump 504 can include a mechanical pump (for example, gear pump, rotary vane pump, diaphragm pump, screw pump, peristaltic pump) or an electrical pump. In some implementations, the fuel tank 502 can include various sensors (for example, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, or a fuel-level sensor). Such sensors can be electrically connected to the controller 402 in order to provide data regarding the status of the fuel tank 502 to the controller 402, for example. Additionally or alternatively, the fuel pump 504 can be connected to the controller 402. Through such a connection, the controller 402 could control the fuel pump 504 (for example, to switch the fuel pump on and off, set a fuel injection rate, etc.).

In some implementations, the fuel conduit 506 can inject fuel (for example, into a combustion chamber) at one or more outlets 508 defined within the electrode 106 (for example, within a concentrator of the electrode 106). By conveying fuel through the fuel conduit 506 and out one or more outlets 508, fuel can be introduced proximate to a source of ignition energy (for example, proximate to a plasma corona generated near a concentrator of the electrode 106), which can allow for efficient combustion and ignition. In alternate implementations, one or more outlets can be defined with other locations of the fuel conduit 506 (for example, so as not to interfere with the electric field at the concentrator of the electrode 106).

In some implementations, the fuel conduit 506 can act, at least in part, as a Faraday cage (for example, by encapsulating the fuel within a conductor that makes up the fuel conduit 506) to prevent electromagnetic radiation in the QWCCR structure 100 from interacting with the fuel while the fuel is transiting the fuel conduit 506. In other structures, the fuel conduit 506 can allow electromagnetic radiation to interact with (for example, reform) the fuel within the fuel conduit 506.

In some implementations, the QWCCR structure 100 can include multiple fuel conduits 506 (for example, multiple fuel conduits running from the proximal end of the QWCCR structure 100 to the distal end of the QWCCR structure 100). Additionally or alternatively, one or more fuel conduits 506 can be positioned within the dielectric 108 or within the outer conductor 102. As described above, the outlet(s) 508 of the fuel conduit(s) 506 can be oriented in such as a way as to expel fuel toward concentrators (for example, tips, edges, or points) of one or more electrodes 106 (for example, toward regions where plasma coronas are likely to be excited).

VII. Additional Resonator Implementations

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an example alternative coaxial resonator 600 connected to a DC power source through an additional resonator assembly acting as an RF attenuator, in accordance with example implementations. The coaxial resonator 600 is an assembly of two quarter-wave coaxial cavity resonators that are coupled together. More specifically, the coaxial resonator 600 includes a first resonator 602 and a second resonator 604 electrically coupled in a series arrangement along a longitudinal axis 606. In some implementations, the coaxial resonator 600 includes a DC bias condition established at a node of the voltage standing wave (for example, between quarter-wave segments). In such implementations, there may be no impedance mismatch. Because there is no impedance mismatch, the diameters of the inner conductor and the outer conductor of the first resonator 602 can be different than the diameters of the inner conductor and the outer conductor of the second resonator 604, respectively, without impacting the quality factor (Q). In such a way, the DC bias condition might not affect or interact with the AC signal coming from a signal generator.

The first resonator 602 and the second resonator 604 are defined by a common outer conductor wall structure 608. The outer conductor wall structure 608 includes a first cylindrical wall 610 and a second cylindrical wall 612 centered on the longitudinal axis 606. The first cylindrical wall 610 is constructed of a conducting material and surrounds a first cylindrical cavity 614 centered on the longitudinal axis 606. The first cylindrical cavity 614 is filled with a dielectric 616 having a relative dielectric constant approximately equal to four (ε_r≈4), for example.

In the example implementation of FIG. 6, the first resonator 602 and the second resonator 604 adjoin one another in a connection plane 618 that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 606. In other examples, the connection plane 618 might not be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 606, and can instead be designed with a different configuration that maintains constant impedance between the first resonator 602 and the second resonator 604.

The second cylindrical wall 612 is constructed of a conducting material and surrounds a second cylindrical cavity 620 that is also centered on the longitudinal axis 606. The second cylindrical cavity 620 is coaxial with the first cylindrical cavity 614, but can have a greater physical length. The second cylindrical wall 612 provides the second cylindrical cavity 620 with a distal end 622 spaced along the longitudinal axis 606 from a proximal end 624 of the second cylindrical cavity 620.

A center conductor structure 626 is supported within the conductor wall structure 608 of the coaxial resonator 600 by the dielectric 616. The center conductor structure 626 includes a first center conductor 628, a second center conductor 630, and a radial conductor 632.

The first center conductor 628 reaches within the first cylindrical cavity 614 along the longitudinal axis 606. In the example implementation shown in FIG. 6, the first center conductor 628 has a proximal end 634 adjacent a proximal end 636 of the first cylindrical cavity 614, and has a distal end 638 adjacent the distal end 624 of the first cylindrical cavity 614. The radial conductor 632 projects radially from a location adjacent the distal end 638 of the first center conductor 628, across the first cylindrical cavity 614, and outward through an aperture 640.

The second center conductor 630 has a proximal end 642 at the distal end 638 of the first center conductor 628. The second center conductor 630 projects along the longitudinal axis 606 to a distal end 644 configured as an electrode tip located at or in close proximity to the distal end 622 of the second cylindrical cavity 620.

To reduce any mismatch in impedances between the first resonator 602 and the second resonator 604, the relative radial thicknesses between both the cylindrical walls 610, 612 and the respective center conductors 628, 630 are defined in relation to the relative dielectric constant of the dielectric 616 and the dielectric constant of the air or gas that fills the second cylindrical cavity 620. In the example implementation of FIG. 6, the physical length of the second center conductor 630 along the longitudinal axis 606 is approximately twice the physical length of the first center conductor 628 along the longitudinal axis 606. However, based at least in part on the dielectric 616 having a relative dielectric constant approximately equal to four, the electrical lengths of the two center conductors 628 and 630 are approximately equal.

In example implementations, any gaps between any of the center conductors 628, 630 and any outer conductor could be filled with a dielectric and/or the gap (for example, the second cylindrical cavity 620) could be large enough to reduce arcing (in other words, large enough such that the electric field is not of sufficient intensity to result in a dielectric breakdown of air or the intervening dielectric). As further shown in FIG. 6, the dielectric 616 fills the first cylindrical cavity 614 around the first center conductor 628 and the radial conductor 632.

In the illustrated example, a DC power source 646 is connected to the center conductor structure 626 through the radial conductor 632 connected adjacent to a virtual short-circuit point of the DC power source 646.

An RF control component, specifically, an RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648 is disposed between the radial conductor 632 and the DC power source 646 to restrict RF power from reaching the DC power source 646. The RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648 is an additional resonator assembly having a center conductor 650. The center conductor 650 has a first portion 652 and a second portion 654, each of which has the same electrical length “X” illustrated in FIG. 6 (and the same electrical length as the first center conductor 628 and the second center conductor 630).

In an example implementation, the electrical length “X” depicted in FIG. 6 can be sized such that the center conductor 650 is an odd-integer multiple of half wavelengths (for example, 1/2λ₀, 3/2λ₀, 5/2λ₀, 7/2λ₀, 9/2λ₀,

$\frac{11}{2}{\lambda }_0,\frac{13}{2}{\lambda }_0,$

etc.) out of phase (in other words, 180° out of phase) with the outer conducting wall 656 and the outer conducting wall 658, simultaneously, where λ₀ is the resonant wavelength, and where the resonant wavelength λ₀ is inversely related to the frequency of the RF power. In alternative implementations, a similar “folded” structure to the electrical length “X” could be located within the cylindrical cavity 614 to achieve a similar phase shift between the inner conductor and the outer conductor.

The RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648 also has a short outer conducting wall 656 and a long outer conducting wall 658. The short outer conducting wall 656 has first and second ends on opposite ends of the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648. The long outer conducting wall 658 also has first and second ends on opposite ends of the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648. The first and second ends of the short outer conducting wall 656 are each on the opposite side of the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648 from the corresponding first and second ends of the long outer conducting wall 658.

In an example implementation, the difference in electrical length between the short outer conducting wall 656 and the long outer conducting wall 658 is substantially equal to the combined electrical length of the first portion 652 and the second portion 654. In this example, the combined electrical length of the first portion 652 and the second portion 654 is substantially equal to twice the electrical length of the first center conductor 628.

In an example implementation, the short outer conducting wall 656 and the long outer conducting wall 658 surround a cavity 660 filled with a dielectric. In operation, with this example implementation, electric current running along the outer conductor of the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648 primarily follows the shortest path and run along the short outer conducting wall 656. Accordingly, electric current on the outer conductor of the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648 travels two fewer quarter-wavelengths than current running along the center conductor 650 of the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648.

In examples, the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648 can also have an internal conducting ground plane 662 disposed within the cavity 660 and between the first portion 652 and the second portion 654 of the center conductor 650. Based on the geometry of the cancellation resonator assembly 648, this configuration provides a frequency cancellation circuit connected between the DC power source 646 and the radial conductor 632.

Further, in examples, the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648 is configured to shift a voltage supply of RF energy 180 degrees out of phase relative to the ground plane 662 of the coaxial resonator 600 due to the difference in electrical length between the short outer conducting wall 656 and the center conductor 650 of the RF frequency cancellation resonator assembly 648.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of another example alternative coaxial resonator 700 connected to a DC power source through an additional resonator assembly acting as an RF attenuator, in accordance with an example implementation. The coaxial resonator 700 includes a first resonator portion 702 and a second resonator portion 704 electrically coupled in a series arrangement along a longitudinal axis 706.

As depicted in FIG. 7, the first resonator portion 702 and the second resonator portion 704 are defined by a common outer conductor wall structure 708. The wall structure 708 includes a first cylindrical wall portion 710 and a second cylindrical wall portion 712 centered on the longitudinal axis 706. The first cylindrical wall portion 710 is constructed of a conducting material and surrounds a first cylindrical cavity 714 centered on the longitudinal axis 706. In this example implementation, the first cylindrical cavity 714 is filled with a dielectric 716.

An annular edge 718 of the first cylindrical wall portion 710 defines a proximal end 720 of the first cylindrical cavity 714. A proximal end of the second cylindrical wall portion 712 adjoins a distal end 722 of the first cylindrical cavity 714.

The coaxial resonator 700 further includes a first center conductor portion 724 and a second center conductor portion 726 (the center conductor portions 724, 726 represented by the densest cross-hatching in FIG. 7). For illustration, the first center conductor portion 724 and the second center conductor portion 726 are separated by the vertical dashed line in FIG. 7. In some implementations, both the first center conductor portion 724 and the second center conductor portion 726 can correspond to an odd-integer multiple of quarter wavelengths based on the frequency of an RF power source used to excite the coaxial resonator 700. The second center conductor portion 726 has a proximal end 728 adjoining a distal end 730 of the first center conductor portion 724. The second center conductor portion 726 projects along the longitudinal axis 706 to a distal end configured as a concentrator 732 (for example, a tip) of an electrode located at or in close proximity to a distal end 734 of a second cylindrical cavity 736.

The coaxial resonator 700 has an aperture 738 that reaches radially outward through the first cylindrical wall portion 710. A radial conductor 740 extends out through the aperture 738 from the longitudinal axis 706 to be connected to an RF power source (for example, the signal generator 202) by an RF power input line. The end of the radial conductor 740 that is closer to the longitudinal axis 706 connects to a parallel plate capacitor 742 that is in a coupling arrangement to a center conductor structure 744. The parallel plate capacitor 742 is also in a coupling arrangement to an inline folded RF attenuator 746. The spacing between the parallel plate capacitor 742 and the center conductor structure 744 can depend on the materials used for fabrication (for example, the materials used to fabricate the parallel plate capacitor 742, the center conductor structure 744, and/or the dielectric 716).

In an example, the DC power source 646 described above is connected to the center conductor structure 744 at a proximal end 748 of the center conductor structure 744 with a DC power input line. The inline folded RF attenuator 746 is disposed between the second resonator portion 704 and the DC power source 646 to restrict RF power from reaching the DC power source 646.

The inline folded RF attenuator 746 includes an interior center conductor portion 750 having a proximal end 752 and a distal end 754. The inline folded RF attenuator 746 also includes an exterior center conductor portion 756 and a transition center conductor portion 758 that connects or couples the interior center conductor portion 750 and the exterior center conductor portion 756.

The exterior center conductor portion 756 has a proximal end largely in the same plane as the proximal end 752, and a distal end largely in the same plane as the distal end 754. For example, in the cross-sectional illustration of FIG. 7, the plane of the proximal end 752 and the plane of the proximal end of the exterior center conductor portion 756 can be the plane of the cross-section that is illustrated. In this example implementation, the transition center conductor portion 758 is located proximal to the distal end 754. The exterior center conductor portion 756 surrounds the interior center conductor portion 750.

In this example, the exterior center conductor portion 756 resembles a cylindrical portion of conducting material surrounding the rest of the interior center conductor portion 750. The longitudinal lengths of the interior center conductor portion 750 and the exterior center conductor portion 756 are substantially equal to the longitudinal length of the parallel plate capacitor 742 with which they are in a coupling arrangement. The electrical length between the proximal end 752 to the distal end 754, for both the interior center conductor portion 750 and the exterior center conductor portion 756, is substantially equal to one quarter-wavelength. The second center conductor portion 726 and the second cylindrical wall portion 712 are both configured to have an electrical length of one quarter-wavelength.

The wall structure 708 includes a short outer conducting portion 760 which has a proximal end largely in the same plane as the proximal end 752, and a distal end largely in the same plane as the distal end 754. An outer conducting path runs from the distal end of the wall structure 708 (that is substantially coplanar with the distal end 734 of the second cylindrical cavity 736), along the short outer conducting portion 760, and stops at the proximal end 720 of the first cylindrical wall portion 710. In this example, the outer conducting path has an electrical length of two quarter-wavelengths.

An inner conducting path runs from the concentrator 732 to the proximal end 728 of the second center conductor portion 726, along the outside of the transition center conductor portion 758, then along the outside from the distal end to the proximal end of the exterior center conductor portion 756, then along an interior wall 762 of the exterior center conductor portion 756 from its proximal end to its distal end, then along the interior center conductor portion 750 from its distal end to its proximal end. In this example, the electrical length of this inner conducting path is four quarter-wavelengths, or two half wavelengths. The difference in electrical lengths between the inner conducting path and the outer conducting path is one half wavelength.

With this configuration, the inline folded RF attenuator 746 operates as a radio-frequency control component connected between the DC power source 646 and the voltage supply of RF energy. The inline folded RF attenuator 746 is configured to shift a voltage supply of RF energy 180 degrees out of phase relative to the ground plane of the coaxial resonator 700.

The particular arrangement depicted in FIG. 7 is not limiting with respect to the orientation of the inline folded RF attenuator 746. In other examples, the entire arrangement depicted in FIG. 7 can be “stretched,” with the inline folded RF attenuator 746 being disposed further away from the concentrator 732 and not directly coupled to the parallel plate capacitor 742. For example, the inline folded RF attenuator 746 could be separated by one quarter-wavelength from the portion of the center conductor that would remain in direct coupling arrangement with the parallel plate capacitor 742. The coaxial resonator 700 can achieve a maximize efficiency when (i) the inline folded RF attenuator 746 is an odd-integer multiple of quarter wavelengths from the concentrator 732; and (ii) the inline folded RF attenuator 746 is an odd-integer multiple of quarter wavelengths in electrical length.

In another example, the arrangement depicted in FIG. 7 could be more compressed, with the exterior center conductor portions 756 of the inline folded RF attenuator 746 extending longitudinally as far as the parallel plate capacitor 742 and also surrounding the portion of center conductor exposed for plasma creation. This can be implemented by arranging the center conductor structure 744 in the middle so that the exterior center conductor portions 756 extends in either direction longitudinally. Any particular geometry of this arrangement can involve adjusting the various parameters of dielectrics to ensure impedance matching and full 180 degree phase cancellation.

In one example, the arrangements described with respect to FIGS. 6 and 7 and the particular combination of components that provide the RF signal to the coaxial resonators are contained in a body dimensioned approximately the size of a gap spark igniter and adapted to mate with a combustor (for example, of an internal combustion engine). As an example for illustration, a microwave amplifier could be disposed at the resonator, and the resonator could be used as the frequency determining element in an oscillator amplifier arrangement. The amplifier/oscillator could be attached at the top or back of an igniter, and could have the high voltage supply also integrated in the module with diagnostics. This example permits the use of a single, low-voltage DC power supply for feeding the module along with a timing signal.

VIII. Jet Engines

The above coaxial resonators could be usefully employed in the context of a gas turbine such as a jet turbine configured to power an aircraft. For example, a coaxial cavity resonator similar to the coaxial resonator 201 illustrated in FIG. 2 could be used in a gas turbine. While reference is made to “QWCCR,” “QWCCR structure,” and “coaxial resonator” elsewhere in the description, it will be understood that other types of resonators are possible and contemplated.

An example gas turbine includes a compressor coupled to a turbine through a shaft, and the gas turbine also includes a combustion chamber or area, called a combustor. In operation, atmospheric air flows through a compressor that brings the air to higher pressure. Energy is then added by spraying fuel into the air and igniting it so the combustion generates a high-temperature, high-pressure gas flow. The high-temperature, high-pressure gas enters a turbine, where it expands down to an exhaust pressure, producing a shaft work output at the shaft coupled to the turbine in the process.

The shaft work output is used to drive the compressor and other devices (for example, an electric generator) that can be coupled to the shaft. The energy that is not used for shaft work comes out in the exhaust gases that can include a high temperature and/or a high velocity. Gas turbines can be utilized to power aircraft, trains, ships, electrical generators, pumps, gas compressors, and tanks, among other machines.

FIG. 8 illustrates an aircraft 800 having a jet engine 802, according to example implementations. To help propel the aircraft 800 through the air, the aircraft 800 includes a propulsion system operable to generate thrust. The jet engine 802 is a gas turbine engine that is part of the propulsion system of the aircraft 800. The aircraft 800 can include several jet engines (for example, 2 or 4) similar to the jet engine 802 coupled to wings of the aircraft 800, for example. The jet engine 802 includes several components of a gas turbine such as the compressor, the combustor, and the turbine.

FIG. 9 illustrates several components of the jet engine 802, according to an example implementation. As illustrated, the jet engine 802 is configured as a gas turbine engine. Large amounts of surrounding air (free stream) are continuously brought into an inlet or intake 900. At the rear of the intake 900, the air enters a compressor 902 (axial, centrifugal, or both). The compressor 902 operates as many rows of airfoils, with each row producing an increase in pressure. At the exit of the compressor 902, the air is at a much higher pressure than free stream at the intake 900.

Fuel is mixed with the compressed air exiting the compressor 902, and the fuel-compressed air mixture is burned in a combustor 904, generating a flow of hot, high pressure gas. The hot, high pressure gas exiting the combustor 904 then passes through a turbine 906, which extracts energy from the flow of gas by making turbine blades spin in the flow. The energy extracted by the turbine 906 is then used to turn the compressor 902 by coupling the compressor 902 and the turbine 906 by a central shaft 908.

The turbine 906 transforms or converts some energy of the hot gas to drive the compressor 902, but there is enough energy left over to provide thrust to the jet engine 802 by increasing velocity of the flow of gas through a nozzle 910 disposed adjacent the turbine 906. Because the exit velocity is greater than the free stream velocity, thrust is created and the aircraft 800 is propelled.

Several variations could be made to the jet engine 802. For instance, the jet engine 802 could be configured as a turbofan engine or a turboprop engine where additional components are added to the several components illustrated in FIG. 9.

The combustor 904, which can also be referred to as a burner, combustion chamber, or flame holder, comprises the area of the jet engine 802 where combustion takes place. The combustor 904 is configured to contain and maintain stable combustion despite high air flow rates. As such, in examples, the combustor 904 is configured to mix the air and fuel, ignite the air-fuel mixture, and then mix in more air to complete the combustion process.

FIGS. 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F illustrate example types of combustors, according to example implementations. In particular, FIG. 10A illustrates a partial perspective view of an annular combustor 1000, and FIG. 10B illustrates a partial frontal view of the annular combustor 1000. FIG. 10C illustrates a partial perspective view of a tubular or can combustor 1002, and FIG. 10D illustrates a partial frontal view of the can combustor 1002. FIG. 10E illustrates a partial perspective view of a can-annular combustor 1004, and FIG. 10F illustrates a partial frontal view of the can-annular combustor 1004.

The annular combustor 1000 shown in FIGS. 10A-10B has an annular cross section and has a liner sitting inside an outer casing, which has been peeled open in FIG. 10A for illustration. The annular combustor 1000 does not define separate combustion zones, but rather has a continuous liner and casing forming a ring 1006 (the annulus).

The can combustor 1002 shown in FIGS. 10C and 10D includes multiple combustion cans such as combustion cans 1008, 1010, and 1012 arranged in a radial array about a central shaft. Each combustion can is a self-contained cylindrical combustion chamber that has both a liner and a casing. Each combustion can has its own fuel injector, igniter, liner, and casing. The primary air from the compressor 902 is guided into each individual combustion can, where it is decelerated, mixed with fuel, and then ignited. Secondary air also comes from the compressor 902, where it is fed outside of the liner. The secondary air is then fed, for example, through slits in the liner, into the combustion zone to cool the liner using thin film cooling.

In example implementations, multiple combustion cans are arranged around the jet engine 802, and their shared exhaust is fed to the turbine 906. However, the can combustor 1002 can weigh more than other combustor configurations and can be characterized by higher pressure drop across the combustion cans than other combustor configurations.

The can-annular combustor 1004 shown in FIGS. 10E-10F includes an annular casing 1014 and can-shaped liners, such as liner 1016. The can-annular combustor 1004 has discrete combustion zones contained in separate liners with their own fuel injectors. Unlike the can combustor 1002, the combustion zones of the can-annular combustor 1004 share a common ring (annulus) casing (for example, annular casing 1014). Each combustion zone of the can-annular combustor 1004 does not operate as a separate pressure vessel; rather, the combustion zones “communicate” with each other through liner holes or connecting tubes that allow some air to flow circumferentially between the combustion zones. Further, rather than having separate igniters for each combustion can, once combustion takes place in one or two combustion cans of the can-annular combustor 1004 cans, combustion could spread to and ignite the other combustion cans due to communication between the combustion zones through the liner holes or connecting tubes.

Regardless of the type of combustor, the combustion process inside the combustor 904 can determine, at least partially, many of the operating characteristics of the jet engine 802, such as fuel efficiency, levels of emissions, and transient response (the response to changing conditions such a fuel flow and air speed). Further, also regardless of the type of combustor, the combustor 904 has several components that can be used, and these several components are described below.

FIG. 11 illustrates a schematic diagram of a partial view of the combustor 904, according to an example implementation. The combustor 904 includes a casing 1100 that is configured as an outer shell of the combustor 904. The casing 1100 can be protected from thermal loads by the air flowing in it, and can operate as a pressure vessel that withstands the difference between the high pressures inside the combustor 904 and the lower pressure outside the combustor 904.

The combustor 904 also includes a diffuser 1102 that is configured to slow the high speed, highly compressed air from the compressor 902 to a velocity optimal for the combustor 904. Reducing the velocity results in a loss in total pressure, and the diffuser 1102 is configured to limit such loss of pressure. The diffuser 1102 is also configured to limit flow distortion by avoiding flow effects like boundary layer separation.

The combustor 904 further includes a liner 1104 that contains the combustion process and is configured to withstand extended high temperature cycles, and therefore can be made from superalloys. Furthermore, the liner 1104 is cooled with air flow. In some example implementations, in addition to air cooling, the combustor 904 can include thermal barrier coatings to further cool the liner 1104.

FIG. 12 illustrates air flow paths through the combustor 904, according to an example implementation. Primary air is the main combustion air and is highly compressed air from the compressor 902. The primary air can be decelerated using the diffuser 1102 and is fed through primary air holes 1200. This air is mixed with fuel, and then combusted in a combustion zone 1202.

Intermediate air is the air injected into the combustion zone 1202 through intermediate air holes 1204. The air injected through the intermediate air holes 1204 completes the combustion processes, cooling the air down and diluting concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H₂).

Dilution air is air injected through dilution air holes 1206 in the liner 1104 at the end of the combustion zone 1202 to help cool the air to before it reaches the turbine 906. The dilution air can be used to produce the uniform temperature profile desired in the combustor 904.

Cooling air is air that is injected through cooling air holes 1208 in the liner 1104 to generate a layer (film) of cool air to protect the liner 1104 from the high combustion temperatures. The combustor 904 is configured such that the cooling air does not directly interact with the combustion air and combustion process.

Referring back to FIG. 11, the combustor 904 further includes a snout 1106, which is an extension of a dome 1108. The snout 1106 operates as an air splitter, separating the primary air from the secondary air flows (intermediate, dilution, and cooling air).

The dome 1108 and a swirler 1110 are the components of the combustor 904 through which the primary air flows as it enters the combustion zone 1202. The dome 1108 and the swirler 1110 are configured to generate turbulence in the flow to rapidly mix the air with fuel. The swirler 1110 establishes a local low pressure zone that forces some of the combustion products to recirculate, creating high turbulence. However, the higher the turbulence, the higher the pressure loss is for the combustor 904, so the dome 1108 and the swirler 1110 are configured to not generate more turbulence than is sufficient to mix the fuel and air. In some examples, with the resonators disclosed in the present disclosure, the combustor 904 can be configured without the dome 1108 and the swirler 1110. In other examples, the dome 1108 and the swirler 1110 can be made smaller when the combustor resonators disclosed in the present disclosure are used because the flame front propagation can be faster than when a conventional igniter is used.

The combustor 904 further includes a fuel injector 1112 configured to introduce fuel to the combustion zone 1202 and, along with the swirler 1110, is configured to mix the fuel and air. The fuel injector 1112 can be configured as any of several types of fuel injectors including: pressure-atomizing, air blast, vaporizing, and premix/prevaporizing injectors.

Pressure atomizing fuel injectors rely on high fuel pressures (as much as 1200 pounds per square inch (psi)) to atomize the fuel. When using this type of fuel injector, the fuel system is configured to be sufficiently robust to withstand such high pressures. The fuel tends to be heterogeneously atomized, resulting in incomplete or uneven combustion, which generates pollutants and smoke.

The air-blast injector “blasts” fuel with a stream of air, atomizing the fuel into homogeneous droplets, and can cause the combustor 904 to be smokeless. This air blast injector can operate at lower fuel pressures than the pressure atomizing fuel injector.

The vaporizing fuel injector is similar to the air-blast injector in that the primary air is mixed with the fuel as it is injected into the combustion zone 1202. However, with the vaporizing fuel injector the fuel-air mixture travels through a tube within the combustion zone 1202. Heat from the combustion zone 1202 is transferred to the fuel-air mixture, vaporizing some of the fuel to enhance the mixing before the mixture is combusted. This way, the fuel is combusted with low thermal radiation, which helps protect the liner 1104. However, the vaporizer tube can have low durability because of the low fuel flow rate within it causing the tube to be less protected from the combustion heat.

The premixing/prevaporizing injector is configured to mix or vaporize the fuel before it reaches the combustion zone 1202. This way, the fuel is uniformly mixed with the air, and emissions from the jet engine 802 can be reduced. However, fuel can auto-ignite or otherwise combust before the fuel-air mixture reaches the combustion zone 1202, and the combustor 904 can thus be damaged.

In some example implementations, a resonator could be configured with fuel passages disposed within the resonator, such that the resonator integrates operations of the fuel injector 1112 with operations of an igniter described below. In these examples, the resonator could be configured to perform the atomization and vaporization of the fuel in addition to mixing and preparing the fuel for combustion. The fuel would then be passed through a formed plasma to ensure ignition. Further, the presence of electromagnetic waves radiated by the resonator could be used to energize the air-fuel mixture and stimulate combustion.

The combustor 904 also includes an igniter 1114 configured to ignite air-fuel mixture to cause combustion. In examples, the igniter 1114 can be configured as an electrical spark igniter, similar to an automotive spark plug. However, there are several disadvantages to such configuration as described below. The igniter 1114 is disposed proximate to the combustion zone 1202 where the fuel and air are already mixed, but is located upstream from the combustion location so that it is not damaged by the combustion itself. In example implementations, once combustion is initially started by the igniter 1114, the combustion is self-sustaining and the igniter 1114 is no longer used. In the annular combustor 1000 and the can-annular combustor 1004, the flame can propagate from one combustion zone to another, so igniters might not be used at each combustion zone.

However, in some examples, combustion can stop due to operating conditions that are not favorable to sustaining combustion. For example, the aircraft 800 can operate at high altitude with low air density, which might affect combustion. In another example, a speed of the aircraft 800 can be sufficiently low to stop the combustion process. Other operating conditions could cause the combustion to stop. In these examples, the igniter 1114 could also be used to restart combustion.

In some systems, ignition-assisting techniques can be used to restart combustion. One such method is oxygen injection, where oxygen is fed to the ignition area, helping the fuel to easily combust. This is particularly useful in some aircraft applications where the jet engine 802 may have to restart at high altitude. Further, described in the present disclosure are igniters and systems that could lower the probability of stopping and having to restart combustion. Particularly, the igniter 1114 could be configured as any of the resonators described in the present disclosure to enhance combustion. In some examples, if the igniter 1114 is configured as a coaxial resonator, the coaxial resonator could be used as a sensor to obtain real-time measurements of the conditions inside the combustor 904 and could be used to predict when combustion would stop (for example, when a flameout would occur). Once such a prediction is made, flameout can be precluded (or its likelihood reduced) by proactively performing operations such as adding more fuel, providing additional plasma, and/or increasing compression using the compressor 902, among other possible operations.

In some example implementations of the jet engine 802, combustion can take place in locations within the jet engine 802 other than the combustor 904. For example, in order for an aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound, the aircraft needs to generate a high thrust to overcome a sharp rise in drag near the speed of sound. To achieve such high thrust, an afterburner can be added to the jet engine. The afterburner can be considered another type of combustor.

FIG. 13 illustrates the jet engine 802 including an afterburner 1300 downstream of the turbine 906, in accordance with an example implementation. As described above with respect to FIG. 9, some of the energy of the exhaust gas from the combustor 904 is used to turn the turbine 906. The afterburner 1300 is used to add energy to generate more thrust by injecting fuel directly into the hot exhaust gas exiting the turbine 906.

The nozzle 910 of the jet engine 802, as illustrated in FIG. 13, is extended or moved downstream in the jet engine 802 to enable placing flame holders 1302 between the turbine 906 and the exit of the jet engine 802. As shown in FIG. 13, the flame holders 1302 can include multiple hoops, such as hoops 1304, 1306. In another arrangement, the flame holders 1302 can include multiple parallel gutters that extend across an afterburner channel 1308 and perpendicular to the engine axis. In yet another arrangement, the flame holders 1302 can include multiple gutters extending radially from the internal surface of the afterburner channel 1308 in a star pattern with respect to the engine axis. The gutters of the flame holders 1302 can be configured with a u- or v-shaped cross section that is open on a downstream side of the gutter. The flame holders 1302 provide a zone of low velocity air so as to retain gases during their combustion in the afterburner channel 1308.

In some examples, when the afterburner 1300 is turned on, additional fuel is injected through, between, or around the flame holders 1302 and into the gas exiting the turbine 906. In other examples, fuel is injected in the afterburner 1300 upstream of the flame holders 1302. The fuel burns and produces additional thrust.

After passing the turbine 906, the gas from the turbine 906 expands, thus losing temperature. The gas from the turbine 906 is an input gas to the afterburner 1300. Fuel is injected into the input gas from the turbine 906 to produce a fuel-air mixture within an afterburner channel 1308. Combustion of the fuel within the fuel-air mixture within the afterburner channel 1308 results in an exhaust gas from the afterburner 1300 having a temperature and pressure greater than a temperature and pressure, respectively, of the gas from the turbine 906. The exhaust gas resulting from combustion within the afterburner channel 1308 passes through the nozzle 910 at a higher velocity, thereby generating additional thrust.

In some examples, ignition within the afterburner 1300 may be hard to achieve. In particular, because velocities and temperatures do not substantially change at the inlet of the afterburner 1300, ignition in the afterburner 1300 may be difficult to achieve when the aircraft 800 is flying at high altitudes. The difficulty is associated with the low pressure in the afterburner 1300 that affects ignition directly. Therefore, it can be desirable to have a system that better prepares the fuel for easier ignition in the afterburner 1300 at higher altitude.

Further, the exhaust gas from the turbine 906 that enters the afterburner 1300 has reduced oxygen and is not highly compressed due to previous combustion at the combustor 904. Therefore, combustion in the afterburner 1300 is generally fuel-inefficient compared with combustion in the combustor 904. Thus, the afterburner 1300 increases thrust at the cost of increased fuel inefficiency, thereby limiting its practical use to short bursts or intermittent operation. As such, the afterburner 1300 is turned on selectively when the extra thrust is used, but is otherwise turned off. It can thus be desirable to have an afterburner that is more efficient to enable using the afterburner more often and more efficiently to enable persistent, as opposed to intermittent operation.

The combustion taking place at the combustor 904 and the combustion taking place in the afterburner 1300 of the jet engine 802 can affect many of the operating characteristics of the jet engine 802. As examples, combustion determines fuel efficiency, thrust levels, and levels of emissions and transient response (the response to changing conditions such a fuel flow and air speed). It can thus be desirable to have an ignition system that prepares the fuel for efficient and thorough combustion, facilitates starting and restarting ignition when desired regardless of altitude, and enables combustion of a lean fuel mixture at high compression ratios to increase efficiency.

IX. Resonator-Based Diagnostics in a Jet Engine

FIG. 14A illustrates a combustion chamber 1410 configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture, according to example implementations. In some implementations, the combustion chamber 1410 can be a component of a jet engine (for example, the jet engine 802 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9). The combustion chamber 1410 can be similar to the combustor 904 illustrated in FIGS. 9, 11, and 12, for example. Unlike FIGS. 9, 11, and 12, however, the arrangement of FIG. 14A includes a resonator. In various implementations, the resonator can include a coaxial-cavity resonator, a dielectric resonator, a crystal resonator, a ceramic resonator, a surface-acoustic-wave resonator, a yttrium-iron-garnet resonator, a rectangular-waveguide cavity resonator, a parallel-plate resonator, or a gap-coupled microstrip resonator. While reference is made to “QWCCR,” “QWCCR structure,” and “coaxial resonator” elsewhere in the description, it will be understood that other types of resonators are possible and contemplated.

In addition to the resonator, FIG. 14A illustrates an impedance sensor, an RF power source, a controller, and a user interface 1402. In various implementations, the impedance sensor can include the impedance sensor 404 shown and described with reference to FIG. 4A, the RF power source can include the signal generator 202 shown and described with reference to FIG. 2, and/or the controller can include the controller 402 shown and described with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B.

As shown by way of example in FIG. 14A, the resonator can be the coaxial resonator 201 illustrated in FIG. 2, in some implementations. As described above, the coaxial resonator 201 can include the inner conductor 324, the outer conductor 322, and the dielectric 328. In some implementations, the coaxial resonator can also include the electrode 326. The electrode 326, and possibly an associated concentrator, can concentrate the electric field of the coaxial resonator 201 in implementations that provide a plasma corona 1414. Further, the coaxial resonator 201 can have a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength based, at least in part, on the dimension, relative locations, and materials of the inner conductor 324, the outer conductor 322, and the dielectric 328, as well as on the environment in and/or around the coaxial resonator 201 (for example, the environment in or around the combustion chamber 1410).

As illustrated in FIG. 14A, the coaxial resonator 201 can be disposed near the fuel injector 1112 within the combustion zone 1202. Further, the coaxial resonator 201 can be configured to radiate electromagnetic waves 1412 (for example, microwaves) when excited by a radio-frequency power source (for example, the signal generator 202 illustrated in FIG. 2) with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201. The electromagnetic waves 1412 can interact with the injected fuel and modify the injected fuel. For example, the electromagnetic waves 1412 can modify the fuel by ionizing at least one hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon chain, liberating at least one hydrogen atom from a hydrocarbon chain, exciting a hydrocarbon chain at one or more natural resonant frequencies to break one or more carbon-hydrogen bonds, altering an energy state of the fuel, exciting electrons within a valence band of a hydrocarbon chain to a higher energy level, and/or reorienting polar hydrocarbon chains.

Further, because a portion or the entirety of the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410 can be exposed to the electromagnetic waves 1412, the electromagnetic waves 1412 can also modify qualities of a fuel/air mixture. For example, electromagnetic waves 1412 can impart a torque on any substance having an electric dipole moment. Hence, the electromagnetic waves 1412 can reorient polar molecules within an air portion of the fuel/air mixture. In one implementation, for instance, the electromagnetic waves 1412 can reorient water molecules within the air portion of the fuel/air mixture. The act of reorienting polar molecules can impart a kinetic energy on the polar molecules, thereby increasing a temperature and/or an energy state of the polar molecules within the fuel/air mixture. In other implementations, other modifications by the electromagnetic waves 1412 to the fuel and/or the fuel/air mixture are also possible.

Additionally or alternatively, the coaxial resonator 201 can be configured to provide the plasma corona 1414 when excited by the signal generator 202 with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201. The plasma corona 1414 can be used as an ignition source to ignite a fuel/air mixture within the combustion zone 1202, for example. Such an ignition source can augment and/or replace the igniter 1114, in some implementations.

In still other implementations, the coaxial resonator 201 might not be configured to radiate electromagnetic waves 1412 or provide the plasma corona 1414. For example, the coaxial resonator 201 could be configured solely as a diagnostic device (sensor) used to sense environmental conditions within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410. In various implementations, the coaxial resonator 201 can have various orientations relative to the fuel injector 1112. For example, the distal end of the resonator 201 can be facing toward the fuel injection site. In other implementations, the distal end of the resonator 201 can be facing away from the fuel injection site. In still other implementations, such as the implementation illustrated in FIG. 14A, the distal end of the resonator 201 can be facing somewhere in between directly toward and directly away from the fuel injection site. In other words, the coaxial resonator could be arranged at a variety of orientations, including facing upstream, downstream, or at another position with regard to at least one of a fuel injection direction or an airflow direction within the combustion zone 1202.

In alternate implementations, the coaxial resonator 201 could be disposed in other regions of the combustion zone 1202. For example, the coaxial resonator 201 could be disposed near an exhaust region of the combustion zone 1202 in order to monitor parameters of exhaust gases (for example, temperature, pressure, and/or chemical composition). In various implementations, the coaxial resonator 201 can be disposed entirely within the combustion zone 1202, mostly outside of the combustion zone 1202 with just a distal end of the coaxial resonator 201 being exposed to the combustion zone 1202, or entirely outside of the combustion zone 1202 (for example, to monitor other regions of the combustion chamber 1410).

As illustrated in FIG. 14A, the distal end of the coaxial resonator 201 can be exposed to the combustion zone 1202. When calculating characteristic impedance, fringing electric and magnetic fields near the distal end of the coaxial resonator 201 might be neglected. However, if the fringing electric and fringing magnetic fields are not neglected, an environment near the distal end of the coaxial resonator 201 (in addition to or instead of the environment within the interstitial space) can affect the resulting characteristic impedance calculation. For example, the characteristic impedance of the coaxial resonator 201 may depend on the temperature, pressure, or chemical composition of the environment near the coaxial resonator 201. The environment can include the environment of the combustion zone 1202 (for example, including a fuel/air mixture in the combustion zone 1202) or an ambient environment near the combustion chamber 1410 (for example, if the coaxial resonator 201 were disposed outside of the combustion chamber 1410).

Regardless of whether the fringing electric and fringing magnetic fields are neglected, the dielectric 328 between the inner conductor 324 and the outer conductor 322 can affect the results of a calculation of the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201. For example, a dielectric material used to fabricate the dielectric 328 that has a non-unity relative dielectric permittivity can impact a calculated characteristic impedance of the coaxial resonator 201. In some implementations, however, the dielectric 328 can be removed, and the environment may be permitted to occupy some or all of the interstitial space between the inner conductor 324 and the outer conductor 322. In this additional way, the environment can alter the characteristic impedance and/or the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201.

Because the environment impacts a characteristic impedance of and/or a resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201, the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201 can be measured to determine various parameters about the environment. Such parameters can be used to diagnose the functionality of the combustion chamber 1410 and to suggest modifications to operating conditions of the combustion chamber 1410. Such suggested modifications could provide partial or full solutions to one or more issues detected based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber 1410. For example, if the determined parameter indicated that a fuel/air mixture within the combustion zone 1202 was not completely combusting, a suggested modification to the ignition sequence that increases the amount of ignition could be determined.

As such, one way of analyzing present conditions within the combustion chamber 1410 (for example, within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410) is to measure the characteristic impedance of the coaxial resonator 201 using the impedance sensor 404. Similar to the impedance sensor 404 illustrated in FIG. 4A, the impedance sensor 404 illustrated in FIG. 14A measures the characteristic impedance of the coaxial resonator 201. The characteristic impedance measured by the impedance sensor can then be fed to the controller 402. The impedance measured by the impedance sensor 404 can be transmitted to the controller 402 as a digital signal or an analog signal, in various implementations. This can be done through a communicative coupling between the controller 402 and the impedance sensor 404. For example, in some implementations, the impedance sensor 404 can be integrated with the controller 402 or connected to the controller 402 through a printed circuit board (PCB) or other mechanism. Further, the controller 402 can modify settings of the impedance sensor 404 through such a communicative coupling. For example, the controller 402 can adjust how frequently (for example, in Hz) the impedance sensor 404 measures the impedance of the coaxial resonator 201 and/or the controller 402 can adjust how frequently (for example, in Hz) the impedance sensor 404 provides the measured impedance of the coaxial resonator 201 to the controller 402.

In some implementations, the controller 402 can transmit an excitation frequency value, used by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201, to the impedance sensor 404 such that the impedance sensor 404 can factor in the excitation frequency into a characteristic impedance calculation. In alternate implementations, the controller 402 can receive a raw value from the impedance sensor 404, which the controller 402 can use along with the excitation frequency value to determine the characteristic impedance of the coaxial resonator 201. In still other implementations, the excitation frequency can be assumed to be sufficiently high such that the approximation of the characteristic impedance as

$Z_0=\sqrt{\frac{L}{C}},$

can be used, thereby obviating the inclusion of the excitation frequency in any calculations.

The impedance sensor 404 can periodically transmit a measured impedance value to the controller 402. In alternate implementations, the controller 402 can periodically poll the impedance sensor 404 for the measured impedance value, and the impedance sensor 404 can respond by transmitting the measured impedance value. The periodic transmission and/or periodic polling of the measured impedance value can occur according to a predetermined schedule. The predetermined schedule can be based on a scheduling parameter. In various implementations, the scheduling parameter could include a periodic diagnostic rate (for example, a diagnostic frequency at which the controller 402 determines the conditions of the combustion chamber 1410), a diagnostic request (for example, a request from an end-user to determine the present conditions of the combustion chamber 1410), and/or an operating condition for a jet/jet engine corresponding to the combustion chamber 1401 (for example, whether the jet is flying, whether the jet is landing or taking off, whether the jet is ascending or descending, whether the jet is turning, a cabin pressure within the jet, a cabin temperature within the jet, an ambient air pressure, an ambient air temperature, an altitude of the jet, a sensed vibration within the jet, a pressure within the combustion chamber, a temperature within the combustion chamber, etc.).

As described above with respect to FIG. 4A, the impedance sensor 404 can be connected to the coaxial resonator 201 (for example, with one lead to the inner conductor 324 of the coaxial resonator 201 and one lead to the outer conductor 322 of the coaxial resonator 201) to measure the impedance of the coaxial resonator 201. In some implementations, the impedance sensor 404 can include an oscilloscope, a spectrum analyzer, and/or an AC volt meter. Other impedance sensors are also possible.

Using the mathematics described above, for example, the characteristic impedance of the coaxial resonator 201 can be used to determine relative dielectric permittivity and/or relative magnetic permeability of the environment near the coaxial resonator 201. In some implementations, such a determination can take into account the dimensions and materials of the coaxial cavity 201. Relative dielectric permittivity and/or relative magnetic permeability can depend on a variety of parameters of the environment. The relationships between the characteristic impedance and the relative dielectric permittivity and/or between the characteristic impedance and the relative magnetic permeability may be known and/or calculable. Hence, the characteristic impedance can be used to determine one or more parameters of the combustion chamber 1410. For example, the characteristic impedance can be used to determine a compression ratio of air within a fuel mixture in the combustion zone 1202 relative to ambient air outside of a jet engine corresponding to the combustion chamber 1410, a pressure of air within the fuel mixture, a composition of air within the fuel mixture, a fuel-to-air ratio of the fuel mixture, a percentage of unburned fuel within the fuel mixture, a temperature of the fuel mixture, an altitude, a temperature of the air within the fuel mixture, and/or an occurrence of a flameout.

In some implementations, determining the characteristic impedance can include determining a resonant frequency of the coaxial resonator 201, an open-circuit condition of the coaxial resonator 201, a short-circuit condition of coaxial resonator 201, a cut-off frequency of the coaxial resonator 201, a capacitance of the coaxial resonator 201, an inductance of the coaxial resonator 201, a lumped-circuit model of the coaxial resonator 201, and/or a failure condition of the coaxial resonator 201.

Determining the one or more parameters of the combustion chamber 1410 can include the controller 402 performing a look-up table operation. The look-up table can be stored within a memory (for example, the memory 454 illustrated in FIG. 4B) of the controller 402, in some implementations. Further, the look-up table operation can yield a value for one or more of the corresponding parameters based on the characteristic impedance. In addition to the characteristic impedance, the values for the one or more of the corresponding parameters can also be based on dimensions and materials of the coaxial cavity 201. Still further, the values for the one or more of the corresponding parameters can be based on one or more auxiliary sensor values. For example, sensor values from an altimeter, a gyroscope, a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, a thermometer, an anemometer, a barometer, a fuel gauge, a tachometer, a sensor that measures fuel composition, a gas chromatograph, a sensor measuring fuel-to-air ratio in a given fuel mixture, a torque sensor, a vibrometer, an accelerometer, and/or a load cell could be transmitted to the controller 402 and used by the controller 402 in the look-up table operation. As just one of many examples, in one implementation, an ambient temperature measured by an ambient thermometer, an ambient pressure measured by an ambient barometer, an impedance measured by the impedance sensor 404, and an excitation frequency used by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201 could be fed into the look-up table in order to determine a fuel/air ratio of a fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202, where the fuel mixture is occupying the interstitial space of the coaxial resonator 201. Numerous additional example look-up table operations are contemplated by the present disclosure.

In some implementations, the look-up table can be developed according to a mathematical model. Such a mathematical model can be determined analytically according to equations describing physical phenomena, such as the equations described above. Alternatively, such a mathematical model can be machine-learned (for example, according to a support vector machine or an artificial neural network) based on training data. For example, training data can include multiple known characteristic impedances in conjunction with various impedance values from the impedance sensor 404 and various auxiliary sensor values from the one or more auxiliary sensors. In alternate implementations, the look-up table can be hard-coded and/or set by a user (for example, using the user interface 1402). Even further, the look-up table can be developed purely empirically. For example, the look-up table could include a correspondence of pressure values and temperature values to the characteristic impedance. Such a correspondence could be built from a library of prior measurements that recorded the temperature from a thermometer, the pressure from a barometer, and the characteristic impedance from an impedance sensor all simultaneously or substantially simultaneously (for example, within 1 ms, 10 ms, 100 ms, or 1 second) in order to identify a possible interrelationship between temperature, pressure, and characteristic impedance.

In addition to or instead of a look-up table operation, the controller 402 can perform a calculation to determine the characteristic impedance. The calculation can be based on the impedance value from the impedance sensor 404, an excitation frequency used by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201, dimensions and materials of the coaxial cavity 201, and/or auxiliary sensor values from one or more auxiliary sensors. Further, the calculations can be performed using analytical mathematical models and/or empirical mathematical models (for example, statistical approximations based on collected data sets). In such calculations, the auxiliary sensor values from the one or more auxiliary sensors can be used to reduce the number of unknown variables within a system of equations. For example, multiple equations can be used to describe the interrelationship between the characteristic impedance and other parameters of the combustion chamber 1410. As just one example of many, the ideal gas law could be used to interrelate a volume of the combustion zone 1202, a pressure of the fuel/air mixture in the combustion zone 1202, and a temperature in the combustion zone 1202. By eliminating enough unknown variables using the auxiliary sensor data, a system of linear equations can be reduced to a system with a number of unknown variables equal to the number of linearly independent equations in the system, thereby resulting in a singular solution for each unknown variable. As one example, the controller 402 could use a measured characteristic impedance, the dimensions of the coaxial resonator 201, and an assumption that the surrounding environment has a relative magnetic permeability of 1.0 to, based on the following equations from above, determine the relative dielectric permittivity (ε_r) of the environment within the interstitial space of the coaxial resonator 201:

$Z_0=\sqrt{\frac{L}{C}}$ $C=\frac{2{\mathrm{\pi \varepsilon }}_0{\varepsilon }_r}{\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)}$ $L=\frac{{\mu }_0{\mu }_r}{2\pi }\ln \left(\frac{b}{a}\right)$

The controller 402, based on the determined relative dielectric permittivity of the environment and a correspondence between relative dielectric permittivity of the environment and temperature of the environment, could then determine the temperature of the environment within the interstitial region of the coaxial resonator 201. The temperature of the environment may correspond to a temperature of a fuel/air mixture within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410 that has entered the interstitial region of the coaxial resonator 201, for example. The correspondence between relative dielectric permittivity of the environment and temperature of the environment (or whatever parameter of the combustion chamber 1410 is being evaluated) may have been previously determined experimentally. For example, it may have been determined that there is a positive, linear relationship between relative dielectric permittivity and temperature in the environment. Thus, a regression line with a predetermined slope and x-intercept could be used to determine the temperature of the environment based on the relative dielectric permittivity of the environment. It is understood that other ways of determining a correspondence, besides experimentally, between physical quantities (such as relative dielectric permittivities) and parameters (such as temperature) could be used. For example, a finite element method (FEM) analysis or finite difference method analysis could be performed to determine these correspondences. In some implementations, look-up tables and calculations can both be used, in tandem, by the controller 402 to determine the parameter of the combustion chamber 1410, rather than using look-up tables or calculations individually.

The controller 402, in response to determining the parameter, can adjust an operating condition of the combustion chamber 1410, of a jet engine associated with the combustion chamber 1410, and/or of a jet associated with the combustion chamber 1410. Adjusting the operating condition can include modifying a type of fuel being injected into the combustion zone 1202 in order to form a fuel mixture, a fuel-to-air ratio of the fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202 (for example, by injecting fuel into the combustion zone 1202 at an increased or decreased rate), a fuel flow rate of fuel within a fuel conduit coupled to the combustion chamber 1410 (for example, coupled at a fuel injector), an operating temperature of the combustion zone 1202 and/or the combustion chamber 1410, an operating pressure of the combustion zone 1202 and/or the combustion chamber 1410, an altitude of a jet associated with the combustion chamber 1410, a fuel-injection location in the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410, and/or a fuel-injection frequency into the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410. In one implementation, for example, the determined parameter can indicate that an operational pressure within the combustion chamber 1410 is too high. In response, the controller 402 could adjust the altitude of the jet associated with the combustion chamber 1410 to reduce the operational pressure within the combustion chamber 1410. In some implementations, adjusting the operating condition can include moving the coaxial resonator 201 to a different location region within the combustion chamber 1410 and/or changing an orientation of the coaxial resonator 201 relative to the combustion chamber 1410. For example, the coaxial resonator 201 can be coupled to a six-axis stage that is controlled by the controller 402 in order to change the position and/or orientation of the coaxial resonator 201.

Adjusting the operating condition(s) within the combustion chamber can improve operation of and/or within the combustion chamber 1410. For example, adjusting the operating condition(s) can prevent a flameout from occurring within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410. Alternatively, adjusting the operating condition(s) can reignite a fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410 after a flameout has occurred within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410. If a flameout has occurred, for example, the temperature and/or pressure within the combustion zone 1202 may correspondingly decrease. This decrease may be a parameter determined by the controller 402. After determining that a decrease in temperature and/or pressure has occurred (for example, a threshold decrease in temperature and/or a threshold decrease in pressure has occurred), the controller 402 could, for example, decrease the intervals between which an igniter within the combustion zone 1202 attempts to ignite (or re-ignite) a fuel mixture. Other examples will be understood.

Additionally or alternatively, the controller 402 can modify a signal being output by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201. Modifying the signal can include adjusting a wavelength/frequency of the signal generated by the signal generator 202. Modifying the wavelength/frequency of the signal can include tuning or detuning the signal relative to a resonant frequency of the coaxial resonator 201 by adjusting the output frequency of the signal generator 202, for example. In doing so, ignition can be made more or less efficient in terms of power consumption. Further, modifying the signal can include adjusting the frequency of the signal such that the signal has a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter of the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201 (for example, such that the resonator provides the plasma corona 1414 proximate to an electrode of the coaxial resonator 201). Still further, modifying the signal can include modifying an output power of the signal generator 202.

In addition to adjusting the operating condition(s), the controller 402 can output the determined parameter to the user interface 1402. In some implementations, the user interface 1402 can include a control panel (for example, a touch screen) on an aircraft associated with the combustion chamber 1410. Additionally or alternatively, the user interface 1402 can be a display associated with a mobile computing device, tablet computing device, laptop computing device, and/or desktop computing device. Such computing devices can be communicatively coupled with the controller 402 through a network interface of the controller 402 (for example, the network interface 456 illustrated in FIG. 4B) or in another manner. In some implementations, the user interface 1402 can include other forms of output devices (for example, a speaker or a status light) and/or one or more input devices (for example, a joystick, a keyboard, a mouse, or a microphone).

Outputting the determined parameter can indicate to a user the current status of the combustion chamber 1410. As such, outputting the determined parameter can include outputting an alert. For example, a status light of the user interface 1402 can illuminate to indicate that a flameout event has occurred when an occurrence of a flameout event is the determined parameter. In addition, outputting the determined parameter can indicate an ameliorative or corrective action to be taken in response. Returning to the flameout event example, outputting the determined parameter could indicate to a pilot of a jet associated with the combustion chamber 1410 to begin a nose dive in order to increase air pressure within the combustion zone 1202 in an attempt to reignite a fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202. Additionally or alternatively, outputting the alert can include providing an indication to a mechanic that a specific region of the combustion chamber 1410 or that a specific component of the combustion chamber 1410 requires servicing. The alert can also indicate a recommended service action to be taken to alleviate or fix an issue within the combustion chamber 1410. For example, outputting the alert could include an indication to a mechanic that the fuel injector 1112 is not working as intended (for example, because it is bent or clogged and insufficient fuel is being injected into the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1410) and recommend a suggested modification to the combustion chamber 1410 (for example, a replacement of the fuel injector 1112) and/or a jet engine corresponding to the combustion chamber 1410 in order to adjust the determined parameter.

Some implementations may not include a user interface 1402. For example, if a jet associated with the combustion chamber 1410 is autonomously controlled by the controller 402, an output to a user interface might not be needed. Further, in addition to or instead of outputting the determined parameter to the user interface 1402, in some implementations, the controller 402 could output the determined parameter to a separate interface. For example, the controller 402 could output the determined parameter to a machine-learning interface. In some implementations, the machine-learning interface could be stored within a memory of the controller 402 itself (for example, the memory 454 illustrated in FIG. 4B). In other implementations, the machine-learning interface could be stored within a memory of a server (for example, a cloud server communicatively coupled to the controller 402). In addition to providing the machine-learning interface with the determined parameter, the controller 402 could also provide the impedance value from the impedance sensor 404 and auxiliary sensor values from auxiliary sensors to the machine-learning interface. In this way, the machine-learning interface could use the resulting determined parameter, the impedance value, and the auxiliary sensor values as training data for a machine-learning model.

In one implementation, for example, the impedance value and the auxiliary sensor values could be values of neurons within a first level of an artificial neural network and the determined parameter could be a value of a neuron within a second level of the artificial neural network, where the second level of the artificial neural network is a weighted sum of the neurons in the first level of the neural network. Using each set of impedance values, auxiliary sensor values, and determined parameters received from the controller 402 as training data, the weights between the first level and the second level of the artificial neural network could be refined. In other implementations, other machine-learning models, including supervised learning models, unsupervised learning models, and semi-supervised learning models, can be used. As examples, rather than an artificial neural network, machine-learning models such as decision tree learning, association rule learning, inductive logic programming, support vector machines, relevance vector machines, clustering, Bayesian networks, reinforcement learning, representation learning, similarity and metric learning, and/or genetic algorithms can be used.

Illustrated in FIG. 14B is a combustion chamber 1420, according to example implementations. In some implementations, the combustion chamber 1420 can be a component of a jet engine (for example, the jet engine 802 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9). The combustion chamber 1420 can be analogous to the combustion chamber 1410 illustrated in FIG. 14A. However, unlike in FIG. 14A, the arrangement of FIG. 14B also includes a modulator 1422. The modulator 1422 can be used to modulate the output of the signal generator 202. For example, the modulator 1422 can be used as a trigger signal for the signal generator 202, such that the modulator 1422 periodically triggers the signal generator 202 to output a signal to the coaxial resonator 201. Thus, in addition to having a signal frequency (for example, a radio frequency between 300 MHz and 300 GHz) associated with the signal created by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201, the combustion chamber 1420 can include a modulation frequency at which the modulator 1422 modulates the signal generator 202. In various implementations the modulation frequency can take various values, such as 0 Hz (continuous wave), between 0.1 Hz and 1.0 Hz, between 1.0 Hz and 10.0 Hz, between 10.0 Hz and 100.0 Hz, between 100.0 Hz and 1.0 kHz, between 1.0 kHz and 10.0 kHz, between 100.0 kHz and 1.0 MHz, or between 1.0 MHz and 10.0 MHz, or between 10.0 MHz and 100.0 MHz. Other modulation frequencies are also possible. The modulation frequency can also include an associated duty cycle. For example, the associated duty cycle can be any integer multiple of 5%. Other duty cycle values are also possible. Further, in some implementations, the modulation frequency and/or the associated duty cycle can be adjustable (for example, the frequency and/or the associated duty cycle could be adjusted by the controller 402 using a control signal transmitted to the modulator 1422 based on the determined parameter). Such adjustments can correspondingly modify how often the electromagnetic waves are radiated by the coaxial resonator 201.

Alternate implementations may not include a modulator 1422. In such implementations, the controller 402, itself, could directly modulate the signal generator 202. The controller 402 controlling the modulator 1422 can include changing settings on the modulator 1422 (for example, using a control signal). Additionally, the controller 402 can change such settings in response to dynamic conditions within the combustion chamber 1420 or in order to change conditions within the combustion chamber 1420. For example, the controller 402 can change the settings of the modulator 1422 based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber 1420 and/or until the determined parameter of the combustion chamber 1420 reaches a predetermined threshold value. Further, the controller 402 can control the modulator 1422 by executing instructions stored within a non-transitory, computer-readable medium (for example the memory 454 illustrated in FIG. 4B), in some implementations.

In addition to or instead of controlling the modulator 1422, the controller 402 can also control the signal generator 202 (for example, using a control signal). Controlling the signal generator 202 can include modifying an output frequency, an output wavelength, an output current, an output voltage, an output power, an output amplitude, and/or an output waveform shape (for example, a sinusoidal waveform, a square waveform, a triangular waveform, a pulsed waveform, or a sawtooth waveform) of the signal generator 202. For example, the controller 402 could receive a desired combustion percentage of a fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202 based on a user-input or based on a feedback loop, and modify the modulation frequency and/or duty cycle based on the present combustion percentage of the fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202 (for example, as determined by the controller 402 based on the characteristic impedance of the coaxial resonator 201).

Similarly, the controller 402 can modify the modulator 1422 and/or the signal generator 202 in order to improve combustion within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1420. For example, if sufficient and/or total combustion is not occurring (as sensed by a combustion sensor, in some implementations), if ignition is not occurring, and/or based on the determined parameter, the modulation frequency and/or duty cycle can be increased by the controller such that more electromagnetic waves 1412 are radiated by the coaxial resonator 201 to modify the fuel and/or the fuel mixture. Additionally or alternatively, if sufficient and/or total combustion is not occurring, if ignition is not occurring, and/or based on the determined parameter, the frequency, amplitude, and/or power output by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201 can be increased to increase the amount and/or strength of the electromagnetic waves 1412 modifying the fuel and/or the fuel mixture. Additionally or alternatively, if sufficient and/or total combustion is not occurring, if ignition is not occurring, and/or based on the determined parameter, the controller 402 can modify excitation of the coaxial resonator 201 in order to provide and/or modify the plasma corona 1414.

In some implementations, in order to modify combustion and/or ignition conditions within the combustion zone 1202, the coaxial resonator 201 can provide the plasma corona 1414. In order to provide the plasma corona 1414, some implementations can include a direct-current power source. An example of such an implementation is illustrated in FIG. 14C. Illustrated in FIG. 14C is a combustion chamber 1430, according to example implementations. In some implementations, the combustion chamber 1430 can be a component of a jet engine (for example, the jet engine 802 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9). The combustion chamber 1430 can be analogous to the combustion chamber 1410 illustrated in FIG. 14A. However, unlike in FIG. 14A, the arrangement of FIG. 14C includes a direct-current power source (for example, the DC power source 302 illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B) electrically coupled to the coaxial resonator 201. The direct-current power source can be configured to provide a bias signal between a first conductor (for example, the inner conductor 324) of the coaxial resonator 201 and a second conductor (for example, the outer conductor 322) of the coaxial resonator 201. The bias signal can increase an electric field at an electrode of the first conductor of the coaxial resonator 201, thereby reducing the power output needing to be provided by the signal generator 202 in order to produce the plasma corona 1414.

As described with reference to FIG. 4A, the controller 402 can control one or more settings of the DC power source 302 in the combustion chamber 1430 (for example, switching on or off or adjusting the level of the bias signal). For example, the controller 402 can control the voltage of the bias signal in order to modify the excited plasma corona. Analogous to the description above with respect to the controller 402 controlling the signal generator 202 and the modulator 1422, the controller 402 can control the DC power source 302 in response to dynamic conditions within the combustion chamber 1430 or in order to change conditions within the combustion chamber 1430. For example, the controller 402 can change the settings of the DC power source 302 based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber 1430 and/or until the determined parameter of the combustion chamber 1430 reaches a predetermined threshold value. For example, if the determined parameter is an indication that ignition is not occurring within the combustion zone 1202, the controller 402 can send a control signal to the DC power source 302 that causes the DC power source 302 to increase a voltage of the bias signal output by the DC power source 302 to the coaxial resonator 201. Also analogous with the description above, the controller 402 can control the DC power source 302 by executing instructions stored within a non-transitory, computer-readable medium (for example the memory 454 illustrated in FIG. 4B), in some implementations.

Illustrated in FIG. 14D is a combustion chamber 1440, according to example implementations. In some implementations, the combustion chamber 1440 can be a component of a jet engine (for example, the jet engine 802 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9). The combustion chamber 1440 can be analogous to the combustion chamber 1410 illustrated in FIG. 14A. However, unlike FIG. 14A, the arrangement of FIG. 14D includes a power meter 1446 rather than the impedance sensor 404. In alternate implementations, the arrangement of FIG. 14D can also include the impedance sensor 404, a modulator (for example, the modulator 1422 illustrated in FIG. 14B), and/or a direct-current power source (for example, the DC power source 302 illustrated in FIG. 14C). As illustrated in FIG. 14D, the power meter 1446 can be disposed inline and between the signal generator 202 and the coaxial resonator 201. Further, a power value measured by the power meter 1446 can be used by the controller 402 to determine reflected power and, ultimately, to determine a characteristic of the combustion chamber 1440.

In one implementation, for example, the power meter 1446 can measure the portion of the power transmitted from the signal generator 202 toward the coaxial resonator 201 that is reflected from the coaxial resonator 201 back toward the power meter 1446. Such a reflected power measurement can be indicated by a percentage (for example, a percentage of incident power reflected) or as a raw value (for example, number of Watts reflected). This reflected power measurement can then be transmitted to the controller 402. Analogous to the impedance sensor 404 illustrated in FIG. 14A, the reflected power measurement can be transmitted to the controller 402 using a communicative coupling between the controller 402 and the power meter 1446. Further, the controller 402 can modify settings of the power meter 1446 through such a communicative coupling. For example, the controller 402 can adjust how frequently (for example, in Hz) the power meter 1446 measures the reflected power and/or the controller 402 can adjust how frequently (for example, in Hz) the power meter 1446 provides the measured reflected power to the controller 402.

Based on the reflected power, the controller 402 can adjust the excitation frequency used by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201. After adjusting the excitation frequency (and thus the excitation wavelength), the controller 402 can reobtain the reflected power measurement from the power meter 1446 (for example, by polling the power meter 1446 for the reflected power). The process of adjusting the excitation frequency of the signal generator 202 and reobtaining the reflected power measurement can be repeated until the reflected power measurement reaches a local minimum value or is within a predetermined threshold amount of a local minimum value. The excitation frequency at the local minimum value of reflected power can correspond to a resonant frequency of the coaxial resonator 201. Using this method, therefore, the controller 402 can determine the resonant frequency of the coaxial resonator 201. In some implementations, the controller 402 can additionally or alternatively perform a look-up table operation based on the received power reflected and the wavelength of the signal when the power reflected is minimized to determine the resonant wavelength. Other methods of determining the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201 are also possible.

Similar to the characteristic impedance outlined above, the controller 402 can use the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201 to determine a parameter of the combustion chamber 1440. The determined parameter of the combustion chamber 1440 can include a compression ratio of air within a fuel mixture in the combustion zone 1202 relative to ambient air outside of a jet engine corresponding to the combustion chamber 1440, a pressure of air within the fuel mixture, a composition of air within the fuel mixture, a fuel-to-air ratio of the fuel mixture, a percentage of unburned fuel within the fuel mixture, a temperature of the fuel mixture, an altitude, a temperature of the air within the fuel mixture, and/or an occurrence of a flameout. Also analogous to the characteristic impedance, determining the parameter of the combustion chamber 1440 based on the resonant wavelength can include the use of auxiliary sensor data from auxiliary sensors.

Based on the determined characteristic of the combustion chamber 1440, the controller 402 can output the data to the user interface 1402, use the determined characteristic as a portion of training data within a machine-learning interface, and/or adjust an operating condition of a jet engine associated with the combustion chamber 1440. Adjusting the operating condition can include modifying a type of fuel being injected into the combustion zone 1202 in order to form a fuel mixture, a fuel-to-air ratio of the fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202 (for example, by injecting fuel into the combustion zone 1202 at an increased or decreased rate), a fuel flow rate of fuel within a fuel conduit coupled to the combustion chamber 1440 (for example, coupled at a fuel injector), an operating temperature of the combustion zone 1202 and/or the combustion chamber 1440, an operating pressure of the combustion zone 1202 and/or the combustion chamber 1440, an altitude of a jet associated with the combustion chamber 1440, a fuel-injection location in the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1440, and/or a fuel-injection frequency into the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1440. In addition, adjusting the operating condition can include moving the coaxial resonator 201 to a different location region within the combustion chamber 1440 and/or changing an orientation of the coaxial resonator 201 relative to the combustion chamber 1440.

Also analogous to the characteristic impedance, adjusting the operating condition(s) based on the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201 can prevent a flameout from occurring within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1440. Alternatively, adjusting the operating condition(s) can reignite a fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1440 after a flameout has occurred within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1440. Still further, the controller 402 can modify a signal being output by the signal generator 202 to excite the coaxial resonator 201 based on the resonant wavelength of the coaxial resonator 201.

Illustrated in FIG. 15 is a combustion chamber 1510, according to example implementations. In some implementations, the combustion chamber 1510 can be a component of a jet engine (for example, the jet engine 802 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9). The combustion chamber 1510 can be analogous to the combustion chamber 1410 illustrated in FIG. 14A. However, unlike in FIG. 14A, the arrangement of FIG. 15 includes two (or more) coaxial resonators 201. As illustrated, each of the coaxial resonators 201 can be excited by a respective signal generator 202. In alternate implementations, a single signal generator 202 could be used to excite both of the coaxial resonators 201. Further, in such implementations, the controller 402 could independently control one or more switches to allow the single signal generator 202 to individually excite each of the coaxial resonators 201. Also as illustrated, the arrangement of FIG. 15 includes a respective impedance sensor 404 used to measure the impedance of each of the coaxial resonators 201. In alternate implementations, inline power meters (for example, similar to the power meter 1446 illustrated in FIG. 14D) could be used, in addition to or instead of one or more of the impedance sensors 404, in order to measure reflected power to determine resonant wavelength.

As described with respect to FIG. 14A, an impedance value from an impedance sensor 404 can be used, possibly in conjunction with an excitation frequency output from the signal generator 202, in order to determine the characteristic impedance of a coaxial resonator 201. This characteristic impedance (or resonant wavelength in alternate implementations that use power meters) can then be used to determine a characteristic about the environment of the coaxial resonator 201. Hence, using the multiple coaxial resonators 201, multiple signal generators 202, and multiple impedance sensors 404 illustrated in FIG. 15, the controller 402 can determine one or more characteristics about each of two or more different regions (for example, two or more different regions within the combustion zone 1202). For example, if the measured impedance for one coaxial resonator 201 (a “primary characteristic impedance”) is different than the measured impedance for another coaxial resonator 201 (a “secondary characteristic impedance”), this can indicate to the controller 402 that at least one characteristic is different in the environment near one coaxial resonator 201 than in the environment near the other coaxial resonator 201. Based on this difference between determined characteristics, the controller 402 can determine a differential or gradient within the combustion chamber 1510 (for example, a differential within the combustion zone 1202 of the combustion chamber 1510). For example, the controller 402 can determine a temperature differential, a pressure differential, an air composition differential, a differential in fuel-to-air ratio, or a combustion-percentage differential.

In some implementations, the controller 402 can use one or more determined differentials to adjust an operating condition of a jet engine corresponding to the combustion chamber 1510. For example, adjusting the operating condition can include modifying a type of fuel being injected into the combustion zone 1202 in order to form a fuel mixture, a fuel-to-air ratio of the fuel mixture within the combustion zone 1202 (for example, by injecting fuel into the combustion zone 1202 at an increased or decreased rate), a fuel flow rate of fuel within a fuel conduit coupled to the combustion chamber 1510 (for example, coupled at a fuel injector), an operating temperature of a given region of the combustion zone 1202, an operating pressure of a given region of the combustion zone 1202, an altitude of a jet associated with the combustion chamber 1510, a fuel-injection location in the combustion zone 1202, a fuel-injection frequency into the combustion zone 1202, an ignition sequence, the excitation frequency of one or more of the coaxial resonators 201, and/or the excitation power of one or more of the coaxial resonators 201.

X. Example Methods

FIG. 16 illustrates a method 1600, according to example implementations. The method 1600 can be performed by a jet engine. For example, the method 1600 can be performed by a jet engine including the combustion chamber 1410 illustrated in FIG. 14A or other jet engines presently disclosed. Various features described above can be applied in the context of the method 1600. Such features can be applied in addition to or instead of the features of the method 1600 described below.

At block 1602, the method 1600 can include determining, by a controller communicatively coupled to a resonator, a characteristic of a resonator selected from the group consisting of a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength. The resonator can include a first conductor and a second conductor separated from one another by an interstitial space that is exposed to an environment of a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture within a jet engine.

At block 1604, the method 1600 can include, based on the determined characteristic, determining, by the controller, a parameter of the combustion chamber.

The particular arrangements shown in the figures should not be viewed as limiting. It should be understood that other implementations can include more or less of each element shown in a given figure. Further, some of the illustrated elements can be combined or omitted. Yet further, an illustrative implementation can include elements that are not illustrated in the figures.

A step or block that represents a processing of information can correspond to circuitry that can be configured to perform the specific logical functions of a method or technique as presently disclosed. Alternatively or additionally, a step or block that represents a processing of information can correspond to a module, a segment, or a portion of program code (including related data). The program code can include one or more instructions executable by a processor for implementing specific logical functions or actions in the method or technique. The program code and/or related data can be stored on any type of computer-readable medium such as a storage device including a disk, hard drive, or other storage medium.

The computer-readable medium can also include non-transitory computer-readable media such as computer-readable media that store data for short periods of time like register memory, processor cache, and random access memory (RAM). The computer-readable media can also include non-transitory computer-readable media that store program code and/or data for longer periods of time. Thus, the computer-readable media can include secondary or persistent long term storage, like read only memory (ROM), optical or magnetic disks, compact-disc read only memory (CD-ROM), for example. The computer-readable media can also be any other volatile or non-volatile storage systems. A computer-readable medium can be considered a computer-readable storage medium, for example, or a tangible storage device.

While various examples and implementations have been disclosed, other examples and implementations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The various disclosed examples and implementations are for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope being indicated by the claims.

Claims

1. A jet engine comprising: a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture;a resonator having a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength, the resonator including a first conductor and a second conductor separated from one another by an interstitial space that is exposed to an environment of the combustion chamber; anda controller communicatively coupled to the resonator and configured to perform operations, the operations including: determining a characteristic of the resonator selected from the group consisting of the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength, andbased on the determined characteristic, determining a parameter of the combustion chamber.

2. The jet engine of claim 1, further comprising: a radio-frequency power source configured to: electromagnetically couple to the resonator, andexcite the resonator with a signal having a wavelength; anda power meter configured to measure a power reflected from the resonator when the resonator is excited by the radio-frequency power source with the signal having the wavelength,wherein the operation of determining the characteristic of the resonator includes: receiving the power reflected from the resonator from the power meter,adjusting the wavelength of the signal of the radio-frequency power source until the power reflected is minimized, andbased on the wavelength of the signal when the power reflected is minimized, determining the resonant wavelength of the resonator.

3. The jet engine of claim 2, wherein determining the resonant wavelength of the resonator comprises the controller performing a look-up table operation based on: an amount of received power reflected, andthe wavelength of the signal when the power reflected is minimized.

4. The jet engine of claim 1, further comprising: a radio-frequency power source configured to: electromagnetically couple to the resonator, andexcite the resonator with a signal having a wavelength; andan impedance measurement device configured to measure the characteristic impedance of the resonator when the resonator is excited by the radio-frequency power source with the signal having the wavelength,wherein the operation of determining the characteristic of the resonator includes: receiving the measured characteristic impedance of the resonator from the impedance measurement device based on the wavelength of the signal.

5. The jet engine of claim 1, wherein the parameter of the combustion chamber is selected from the group consisting of a compression ratio of air within the fuel mixture relative to ambient air outside of the jet engine, a pressure of air within the fuel mixture, a composition of air within the fuel mixture, a fuel-to-air ratio of the fuel mixture, a percentage of unburned fuel within the fuel mixture, a temperature of the fuel mixture, an altitude, a temperature of the air within the fuel mixture, and an occurrence of a flameout.

6. The jet engine of claim 1, wherein the operation of determining the characteristic of the resonator includes determining a quality of the resonator selected from the group consisting of a resonant frequency, an open-circuit condition, a short-circuit condition, a cut-off frequency, a capacitance, an inductance, a lumped-circuit model, or failure condition.

7. The jet engine of claim 1, wherein the operations further include, based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting an operating condition of the jet engine selected from the group consisting of a fuel type of the fuel mixture, a fuel-to-air ratio of the fuel mixture, a fuel flow rate, an operating temperature, an operating pressure, an altitude, a fuel-injection location in the combustion chamber, and a fuel-injection frequency in the combustion chamber.

8. The jet engine of claim 7, wherein the operation of adjusting the operating condition prevents a flameout.

9. The jet engine of claim 7, wherein the operation of adjusting the operating condition reignites the fuel mixture within the combustion chamber after a flameout.

10. The jet engine of claim 1, wherein the operations further include, based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, outputting an alert to an interface that indicates the determined parameter.

11. The jet engine of claim 10, wherein outputting the alert includes providing a suggested modification to the jet engine in order to adjust the determined parameter.

12. The jet engine of claim 1, further comprising a radio-frequency power source configured to electromagnetically couple to the resonator, wherein the resonator includes an electrode configured to electromagnetically couple to the first conductor, the resonator being configured to provide a plasma corona proximate to the electrode when excited by the radio-frequency power source with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of the resonant wavelength.

13. The jet engine of claim 12, wherein the operations further include an operation selected from the group consisting of (i) based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting an output frequency of the radio-frequency power source, and(ii) based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting an output power of the radio-frequency power source.

14. The jet engine of claim 12, further comprising a modulator configured to modulate the signal at a modulation frequency in order to intermittently excite the resonator, wherein the operations further include an operation selected from the group consisting of (i) based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting the modulation frequency, and(ii) based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting a duty cycle of the modulation frequency.

15. The jet engine of claim 12, further comprising a switchable direct-current power source configured to provide a bias signal between the first conductor and the second conductor.

16. The jet engine of claim 15, wherein the operations further include, based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting the bias signal between the first conductor and the second conductor.

17. The jet engine of claim 1, further comprising a radio-frequency power source configured to electromagnetically couple to the resonator, wherein the resonator is configured to radiate electromagnetic waves usable to modify the fuel mixture within the combustion chamber when excited by the radio-frequency power source with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of the resonant wavelength.

18. The jet engine of claim 17, wherein the operations further include an operation selected from the group consisting of (i) based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting an output frequency of the radio-frequency power source, and(ii) based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting an output power of the radio-frequency power source.

19. The jet engine of claim 17, further comprising a modulator configured to modulate the signal at a modulation frequency in order to intermittently excite the resonator, wherein the operations further include an operation selected from the group consisting of (i) based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting the modulation frequency, and(ii) based on the determined parameter of the combustion chamber, adjusting a duty cycle of the modulation frequency.

20. The jet engine of claim 17, wherein modifying the fuel mixture within the combustion chamber includes at least one modification selected from the group consisting of ionizing at least one hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon chain,liberating at least one hydrogen atom from a hydrocarbon chain,exciting a hydrocarbon chain at one or more natural resonant frequencies to break one or more carbon-hydrogen bonds,altering an energy state of the fuel mixture,exciting electrons within a valence band of a hydrocarbon chain to a higher energy level,reorienting water molecules, andreorienting polar hydrocarbon chains.

21. The jet engine of claim 1, further comprising a sensor communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the operations further include determining an additional parameter of the combustion chamber based on sensor data received from the sensor, andwherein the parameter of the combustion chamber is determined based on the determined additional parameter of the combustion chamber in addition to the determined characteristic.

22. The jet engine of claim 21, wherein the additional parameter is selected from the group consisting of an altitude, an ambient air temperature outside of the jet engine, an ambient pressure outside of the jet engine, an ambient air composition outside of the jet engine, and a fuel flow rate of fuel being injected into the combustion chamber.

23. The jet engine of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine the characteristic of the resonator according to a predetermined schedule, the predetermined schedule being based on a scheduling parameter selected from the group consisting of a periodic diagnostic rate, a diagnostic request, and an operating condition of the jet engine.

24. The jet engine of claim 23, wherein the operating condition of the jet engine is selected from the group consisting of an ambient air pressure, an ambient air temperature, an altitude, a sensed vibration, a pressure within the combustion chamber, and a temperature within the combustion chamber.

25. A jet engine comprising: a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture;a primary resonator having a primary characteristic impedance and a primary resonant wavelength, the primary resonator including a primary first conductor and a primary second conductor separated from one another by a primary interstitial space that is exposed to a primary region of an environment of the combustion chamber;a secondary resonator having a secondary characteristic impedance and a secondary resonant wavelength, the secondary resonator including a secondary first conductor and a secondary second conductor separated from one another by a secondary interstitial space that is exposed to a secondary region of the environment of the combustion chamber, wherein the primary region and the secondary region of the environment of the combustion chamber are disposed at different locations within the combustion chamber; anda controller communicatively coupled to the primary resonator and the secondary resonator and configured to perform operations, the operations including: determining a primary characteristic of the primary resonator selected from the group consisting of the primary characteristic impedance and the primary resonant wavelength,determining a secondary characteristic of the secondary resonator selected from the group consisting of the secondary characteristic impedance and the secondary resonant wavelength, andbased on the determined primary characteristic and the determined secondary characteristic, determining a differential selected from the group consisting of a temperature differential, a pressure differential, an air composition differential, a differential in fuel-to-air ratio, and a combustion-percentage differential.

26. A jet engine comprising: a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture;a resonator having a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength, the resonator including: a first conductor,a second conductor, anda dielectric between the first conductor and the second conductor, wherein a distal end of the resonator is exposed to an environment of the combustion chamber; anda controller communicatively coupled to the resonator and configured to perform operations, the operations including: determining a characteristic of the resonator selected from the group consisting of the characteristic impedance and the resonant wavelength, andbased on the determined characteristic, determining a parameter of the combustion chamber.

27. A method comprising: determining, by a controller communicatively coupled to a resonator, a characteristic of a resonator selected from the group consisting of a characteristic impedance and a resonant wavelength, wherein the resonator includes a first conductor and a second conductor separated from one another by an interstitial space that is exposed to an environment of a combustion chamber configured to house a combustion event of a fuel mixture within a jet engine; andbased on the determined characteristic, determining, by the controller, a parameter of the combustion chamber.