A torch ignitor system includes a torch wall defining a combustion chamber therein with a flame outlet passing out of the torch wall downstream of the combustion chamber. A fuel nozzle is mounted to the torch wall to issue fuel into the combustion chamber. An ignitor is mounted to the torch wall, extending into the combustion chamber to ignite fuel issued from the fuel nozzle. A cooling passage is in thermal communication with the ignitor for cooling the ignitor with fluid passing through the cooling passage.

An ignition and combustion assist system and method comprising a plasma igniter and electronic driver unit for use with gas turbine engines operating under low air densities, reduced voltage conditions and overall pressure ratios of 3:1 to 7:1. The plasma igniter has an inner chamber housing a centrally positioned and electrically isolated electrode attached to an electrical lead, driver unit, and AC or DC power supply. The electrode features a corner positioned near an outlet end of the igniter, where a plasma arc ignites a fuel-air mixture creating a flame extending into a primary burn region of a combustor of the gas turbine. The driver unit is in two embodiments and configured with low-cost microsecond voltage wave time periods or energy-efficient nano-second pulses. The method uses the plasma igniter and the electronic driver units described herein separately with other components or together.

An ignition and combustion assist system and method comprising a plasma igniter and electronic driver unit for use with gas turbine engines operating under low air densities, reduced voltage conditions and overall pressure ratios of 3:1 to 7:1. The plasma igniter has an inner chamber housing a centrally positioned and electrically isolated electrode attached to an electrical lead, driver unit, and AC or DC power supply. The electrode features a corner positioned near an outlet end of the igniter, where a plasma arc ignites a fuel-air mixture creating a flame extending into a primary burn region of a combustor of the gas turbine. The driver unit is in two embodiments and configured with low-cost microsecond voltage wave time periods or energy-efficient nano-second pulses. The method uses the plasma igniter and the electronic driver units described herein separately with other components or together.

Method for monitoring an ignition system of an aircraft turbine engine, the ignition system including a combustion chamber fitted with a spark plug and an ignition casing, the turbine engine including an accelerometer and an acoustic sensor. The method includes steps of: acquiring accelerometric and acoustic data representative of spark plug breakdown noises from signals generated by the accelerometer and the acoustic sensor, detecting breakdown peak times from the accelerometric data and the acoustic data, correlating the breakdown peak times detected from the accelerometric data and the breakdown peak times detected from the acoustic data, and establishing a diagnosis of the health of the ignition casing and a diagnosis for the spark plug on the basis of the correlation results.

Method for monitoring an ignition system of an aircraft turbine engine, the ignition system including a combustion chamber fitted with a spark plug and an ignition casing, the turbine engine including an accelerometer and an acoustic sensor. The method includes steps of: acquiring accelerometric and acoustic data representative of spark plug breakdown noises from signals generated by the accelerometer and the acoustic sensor, detecting breakdown peak times from the accelerometric data and the acoustic data, correlating the breakdown peak times detected from the accelerometric data and the breakdown peak times detected from the acoustic data, and establishing a diagnosis of the health of the ignition casing and a diagnosis for the spark plug on the basis of the correlation results.

A method for monitoring an aircraft turboshaft engine including a vibration sensor capable of outputting a vibration signal and a spark plug. The method includes, based on the vibration signal output by the vibration sensor, a step of determining a level of vibration of the turboshaft engine as well as a step of determining an indicator of spark plug wear.

The present invention is a turbofan propulsion system, based on a tangential gas turbine that is structurally a part of the propulsion system's centrifugal compressor, wherein the gas turbine's combustion chambers with nozzles are placed to rotate around a larger radius circle at a supersonic circumferential speed, and the fan blades are placed to rotate around a smaller radius circle at a subsonic circumferential speed, therefore increasing the efficiency of the propulsion system.

The present invention is a turbofan propulsion system, based on a tangential gas turbine that is structurally a part of the propulsion system's centrifugal compressor, wherein the gas turbine's combustion chambers with nozzles are placed to rotate around a larger radius circle at a supersonic circumferential speed, and the fan blades are placed to rotate around a smaller radius circle at a subsonic circumferential speed, therefore increasing the efficiency of the propulsion system.

A turbine engine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section having a combustor, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement. The combustor having a combustion chamber, at least one fuel injector, at least one compressed air passage, and at least one igniter. The at least one igniter can be provided within a portion of the at least one fuel injector or the at least one compressed air passage.

A turbine engine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section having a combustor, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement. The combustor having a combustion chamber, at least one fuel injector, at least one compressed air passage, and at least one igniter. The at least one igniter can be provided within a portion of the at least one fuel injector or the at least one compressed air passage.