Integral rocket-ramjet closed loop fuel control system
US4277940A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 25, 1979 |
| Grant date | Jul 14, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 25, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02T50/60
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
In an integral rocket-ramjet having a combustor which initially serves as a rocket combustion chamber for booster propellant, and after the booster propellant is expended serves as a ramjet combustor where fuel and air are burned, a fuel control system is described for the ramjet stage by which ram burner light-off is automatically initiated upon transition from rocket to ramjet propulsion. The fuel control regulates fuel flow to the combustor over the entire flight regime and responds to operating conditions to provide a light-off schedule, to stabilize the shock wave at the air inlet, to provide a maximum fuel-to-air ratio limit, to limit the maximum vehicle Mach number, and to prevent lean burner blowout by providing a minimum fuel-to-air ratio limit. Mach number limiting and air inlet margin limiting are performed in closed loop fashion, while the other functions are scheduled or open loop controls. The closed loop functions are performed by scheduling a ratio of combustion chamber pressure to a reference pressure, and comparing this ratio to the ratio of the pressures as measured, any error therebetween being used to produce a desired fuel flow to combustion chamber pressure r…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.