A thermal energy system for use with an aircraft includes a cooling loop and a cooler. The cooling loop includes a fluid conduit and a pump configured to move fluid through the fluid conduit to transfer heat from a heat source to the fluid in the fluid conduit to cool the heat source. The cooler includes an air-stream heat exchanger located in a duct and is in thermal communication with the fluid conduit to transfer heat between the fluid in the cooling loop and the air passing through the duct.

A thermal energy system for use with an aircraft includes a cooling loop and a cooler. The cooling loop includes a fluid conduit and a pump configured to move fluid through the fluid conduit to transfer heat from a heat source to the fluid in the fluid conduit to cool the heat source. The cooler includes an air-stream heat exchanger located in a duct and is in thermal communication with the fluid conduit to transfer heat between the fluid in the cooling loop and the air passing through the duct.

An electricity generating system is disclosed. The system includes one or more rotary arms extending from a central hub, a tube or blade with an air passage therein extending from each of the one or more rotary arms, a set of rotary blades operably connected to the tube or blade, an axle or shaft joined or fixed to the central hub, and a generator operably connected to the axle or shaft. The air passage has one or more air inlets at or near an end of the tube or blade connected or joined to a corresponding rotary arm. The set of rotary blades is configured to provide a force that rotates the tube or blade. The axle or shaft is configured to rotate with the central hub. The generator is configured to convert a torque from the axle or shaft to electricity.

An electricity generating system is disclosed. The system includes one or more rotary arms extending from a central hub, a tube or blade with an air passage therein extending from each of the one or more rotary arms, a set of rotary blades operably connected to the tube or blade, an axle or shaft joined or fixed to the central hub, and a generator operably connected to the axle or shaft. The air passage has one or more air inlets at or near an end of the tube or blade connected or joined to a corresponding rotary arm. The set of rotary blades is configured to provide a force that rotates the tube or blade. The axle or shaft is configured to rotate with the central hub. The generator is configured to convert a torque from the axle or shaft to electricity.

An effector having an extendible range and a method for extending the range of an effector includes using an axially translatable center body that is movable from a stowed position, in which the center body is stowed in an outer body of the effector, to a deployed position in which the center body extends out of the outer body to extend the axial length of the effector. The effector includes a ramjet assembly and the subsystems of the effector are contained in the center body. The movement of the center body exposes radially positioned ramjet fuel in the outer body, such that the air entering the ramjet inlet may be heated by combusting the air with the fuel for additional fuel and propulsion of the effector.

An effector having an extendible range and a method for extending the range of an effector includes using an axially translatable center body that is movable from a stowed position, in which the center body is stowed in an outer body of the effector, to a deployed position in which the center body extends out of the outer body to extend the axial length of the effector. The effector includes a ramjet assembly and the subsystems of the effector are contained in the center body. The movement of the center body exposes radially positioned ramjet fuel in the outer body, such that the air entering the ramjet inlet may be heated by combusting the air with the fuel for additional fuel and propulsion of the effector.

A Brayton cycle engine including a longitudinal wall extended along a lengthwise direction. The longitudinal wall defines a gas flowpath of the engine. An inner wall assembly is extended from the longitudinal wall into the gas flowpath. The inner wall assembly defines a detonation combustion region in the gas flowpath upstream of the inner wall assembly.

A Brayton cycle engine including a longitudinal wall extended along a lengthwise direction. The longitudinal wall defines a gas flowpath of the engine. An inner wall assembly is extended from the longitudinal wall into the gas flowpath. The inner wall assembly defines a detonation combustion region in the gas flowpath upstream of the inner wall assembly.

A solid fuel propulsion system includes a housing, an air inlet configured to enable air to flow into the housing, an air duct, a rotation detonation chamber, and a nozzle assembly. The air duct is disposed in the housing and is in fluid communication with the air inlet. The air duct is configured to supply air for combustion of a solid fuel configured to sublimate into a gaseous fuel mixture. The rotation detonation chamber is disposed in the housing aft of the air duct and is configured to combust the gaseous fuel mixture and air to generate a rotating detonation wave. The nozzle assembly is configured to expand and exhaust the flow prompted by the rotating detonation wave to generate thrust.

A gas turbine engine includes a core engine section, including a compressor section, a primary combustor and a turbine section positioned within a core flow path of the gas turbine engine; a ramjet section, including a supplemental combustor disposed within a ram duct, the ram duct located radially outside the core engine section; and a core engine housing positioned radially outward of the core engine section and radially inward of the ramjet section.