IGNITION AND FLAME FRONT SUSTENANCE OF NAVY AIRCRAFT JET PROPULSION SYSTEMS BY USE OF MICROWAVE IRRADIATION

AN INNOVATIVE METHOD FOR IGNITION AND FLAME FRONT SUSTENANCE OF JET ENGINE AIRCRAFT PROPULSION SYSTEMS IS PROPOSED. THIS METHOD UTILIZES THE INTERACTION OF CONTROLLED AND CONCENTRATED MICROWAVE ENERGY WITH THE FUEL-AIR MIXTURE IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OR AFTERBURNER. THE HIGHLY EFFICIENT MICROWAVE SOURCES ARE LOCATED EXTERNAL TO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND COUPLED THROUGH CERAMIC WINDOWS. IGNITER COMPONENTS ARE NOT REQUIRED WITHIN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER, AND FLAME HOLDERS MAY BE MINIMIZED OR ELIMINATED BY DEVELOPING DISTRIBUTED MICROWAVE CENTERS OF ENERGY CONCENTRATION USING STANDING WAVE AND FOCUSING TECHNIQUES COUPLED WITH MULTIPLE RADIATING SOURCES. THE MICROWAVE INTERACTIONS CAN RAPIDLY AND REPEATEDLY DEVELOP ELECTRON POPULATIONS IN PRESELECTED ZONES OF INTEREST IN THE FUEL-AIR MIXTURE WITH THE DEPOSITED ENERGY DENSITY LIMITED ONLY BY THE MICROWAVE SOURCEENERGY OVER THE ALTITUDE RANGE FOR WHICH FREE START COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES ARE OBTAINABLE. THUS, IMPROVED START CAPABILITY AND MINIMIZATION OF FLAMEOUT PROBABILITIES SHOULD BE ACHIEVABLE AT ALL THESE ALTITUDES. MICROWAVE IGNITER CONCEPTS AND OPERATING PARAMETERS WILL BE DEFINED, AND IGNITION AND IGNITION SUSTENANCE SCENERIOS WILL BE DEVISED. A DEMONSTRATION TEST WILL BE DEVISED AND PROPOSED FOR PHASE II PERFORMANCE.