HELICON YIELD PLASMA ELECTROMAGNETIC RAM-SCRAMJET DRIVE ROCKET ION VECTOR ENGINE

Abstract

HYPERDRIVE receives continuous air breathing assistance from compressed atmospheric air through a high speed magnetically core driven turbine accelerator which resolves around a common flow path tunnel. The tunnel runs from the front to the back of the engine. It is assisted by a series of radial geometric ramjet engines that share the common flow path tunnel for hypersonic exhaust but has separate inlet air from a linear aerospike which governs mass flow of air, velocity of inlet air and pressure to the turbine and/or ramjets, as well as the positioning of the shock wave at the inlet to reduce aerodynamic drag. The ramjet is of hybrid engine design where it can also function as a scramjet, thus a ram-scramjet structure for combustion in a radial configuration about the engine (aft of an electrical compressor), where the common flow path tunnel also serves as a compression tunnel to compress air through a the constantly occurring series of compression shocks entering from and around the aerospike.

Claims

1. A turbo-ram scramjet plasma rocket engine with five engine cycles, using simultaneously, dependent on what flight phase it is operating in, both a kerosene based fuel, a hydrocarbon based feel a hydrogen ion plasma generated fuel, and a drag reducing/thrust building propulsion system for high speed ascent propulsion phase, all within the same engine architecture in the flight vehicle, thereby allowing multi-engine combustion and drag reduction systems, providing fuel and oxidizer mixtures over a wide Mach number operating range, and thus capability of single stage to orbit operation.

2. The engine of claim 1 further comprising a central combustion chamber aligned in parallel with the superconducting bypass compression mass flow tunnel, wherein the combustion chamber has two distinct structural designs, one inboard, inside the tunnel, and one outboard the compression tunnel.

3. The engine of claim 2 wherein the outboard combustion chamber laying outside the tunnel includes a low speed subsonic air combustor, and a high-speed, supersonic air combustor are adjacent to one another and in parallel with articulating gates.

4. The engine of claim 3 wherein the low speed combustor is provided mass flow air from the electric superconducting compressor ahead of it, via mechanically compressing the air with compressor blade arrays located in stages down the length of the engine ahead of the combustor.

5. The engine of claim 4 wherein the high-speed combustor relies upon supersonic compression of air through a circumferential ram tunnel ahead of it, parallel to the superconducting electric compressor, and outboard of it.

6. The engine of claim 5 wherein the circumferential compressor tunnel forms back end the superconducting shock tunnel for plasma accelerated MHD exhaust drive, and serves as the ram-scramjet compression tunnel for a series of scramjet assemblies defined in architecture radially about the superconducting bypass air, shock and compression tunnel at the center of the engine.

7. The engine of claim 6 wherein the superconducting plasma tunnel houses the circumferential superconducting electromagnetic rings(s) which have a dual use in both providing multi-megawatts of electric power to the engine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a side view of a simplified representation of a Radial Vortex Plasma Field;

[0020] FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention and an accompanying equation.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a portion of the drive engine of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a side view of the Radial Vortex Plasma Field of FIG. 1, showing the charge orientation

[0023] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the engine of the present invention and showing a single representation of a stator.

[0024] FIG. 6 is a first set of equations used in determining drive conditions.

[0025] FIG. 7 is a second set of equations used in determining drive conditions.

[0026] FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing the HYPERDRIVE cycles and modes of operation.

[0027] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the three stage electromagnetic rings used to convert hydrogen to helicon isotope.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Real progress in understanding and the control of hypersonic flows and hypersonic air breathing engines, combined with a superconducting axial and Normal vector flow field at the HYPERDRIVE core (combustor location) at sufficient magnetic flux density and ionization power, eventually rests upon the derivation of novel and unique analytical methods, and mathematical modeling so as to forecast predict, and compute their behavior. The combining of the ram-scramjet dual mode use combustor technology, and high “Tesla” field rotating Normal (vector) and axial magnetic flow fields to power and catalyze combustion across multi-phase combustion, Mach number flight conditions, has not been done before, and is novel and unique. The following mathematical equation analysis is the objective study of such a multi-Mach number, multi-engine cycle hypersonic space scramjet called HYPERDRIVE. The essential core innovation in HYPERDRIVE is the superconducting powershaft core SPSC fully integrated into MHD power shock propulsive tunneling feeding ionized air across a Mach 3.5 to Mach 4.5 range flow, into the HYPERDRIVE ram-scramjet dual mode combustor. Diagram B depicts the first turbine stage aft of the turbine low-speed combustor (Mach 1.0-Mach 3.5) which provides superconducting electric power from the SPSC to the dual mode/dual, use ram-scramjet combustor, fed by ionized mechanical compressed air from the electric segmented compressor.

[0029] Diagram A: Radial Vortex Plasma Field, Normal Flow Field runs axially down the center, SPSC Vector field flow runs out tangent to the radial superconductors presenting toroidal magnetic field containment, this is generated by rotating turbine thrust superconductors against the SPSC hollow core shaft. Equation of State describes energy generation and equilibrium of HYPERDRIVE MHD and power generation, and plasma thrust and acceleration, both with inviscid flow (Euler Equations and with viscous Navier Stokes Equations), and energy equations of state. Guiding center hybrid equation for Ohm's Law MHD generator in HYPERDRIVE is Equation 1A in the Y axis, and Equation 1B for the X axis.

[0030] Diagram B: HYPERDRIVE Engine Profile: From outboard to inboard and to center line axially in profile; scramjet radial engine, ramjet turbine hybrid profile, articulating aerospike forward of inlet lip, inlet lips including internal 1st and 2nd compression ramps for hybrid scramjet profile, common central tunnel core with outboard rotating turbomachinery, outboard of this hybrid ram-scram turbine combustor (high speed) and turbine combustor adjacent (low speed), eleven stage superconducting electric compressor and five stage superconducting turbine core. HYPERDRIVE in profile exhibits an exoskeleton in conjunction with the shaftless architecture of which the hollow shaft core acts as a cooling conduit for air. The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed.

[0031] A Hybrid method using a field evolution equation derivative momentum equation replaced by “bulk fluid” MHD, with a kinetic equation displaced at the point of before the combustor ramp Ax, and slope of “theta”, at the combustor and pre-ramp combustor slope, theta-C therefore Equation 1C, stating that “ions are the particles obeying guiding center hybrid equations of state and energy”.

[0032] Equation 1C defines a hybrid equation model follows a nonlinear interaction of energetic particles where momentum force Change, V across resonant MHD waves, beginning at combustor ramp r1, and propagates to r2, at acceleration rate and momentum equation 1C

[0033] With derivative closure, the momentum equation for MHD drive is translated to 1D, a derivative continuum equation defining electromagnetic momentum of the MHD waves from r1 to r2

[0034] The Hall parameter for ions, I, and electrons e, the momentum collision delay time is Ti for ions and electrons. Electrical conductivity is expressed as 1D-a, where Ne is electron density. Electron density of the MMD, guided by Ohm's Law equations, 1A and 1B, and the Hall Parameter, which are related through the magnetic field. The Ohm equations describe the magnitude of the MHD accelerator at “alpha x”, aft of “alpha y”, with the combustor inlet at hybrid inlet ram-scram operation between Mach 1.0 to Mach 4.0 transition, defined by equation 1E.

[0035] Ne is electron density. It is noted that the electrical conductivity and Hall parameter are related through the magnetic field, B 1, and electro density. This equation is a general equation for an electrode in HYPERDRIVE of configuration for both a generator and an accelerator.

[0036] Diagram C: Normal field in HYPERDRIVE is 90 degrees out of plane and is toroidal. Vector flow field of ionization across the ram-scramjet combustor operation from ramjet mode is at an angle “theta”, with a notional beginning and end of the HYPERDRIVE superconducting tunnel where MHD takes place formed from Ac to Ax, with the axial field down the length of the engine

[0037] The Normal field perpendicular to the toroidal flow of the superconducting flow path can act as a propulsor in space, given an ionizing gas under pressure, such as zeon, thus forming an “MHD Drive Accelerator”, with power being pulled off the drive plate (Diagram C)

[0038] In the case of HYPERDRIVE, the cross How of the Normal magnetic field, may be used electromagnetically, to transition, start, and sustain scramjet combustion at the outer core, powered by the strut superconductor from SFSC as to sustain ignition above Mach 4.5 of the radial hybrid scramjet vector architecture which is HYPERDRIVE

[0039] High electric power may act as a catalyst to sustain combustion, in terms of controlling residence time in the dual mode combustion system, radially arranged around the hypersonic turbine, superconducting compression tunnel core (hydrogen, hydrocarbon, JP-7, superconducting zeon gas), via an arrangement of electrodes embedded in each combustor ramp respectively, powered by each superconducting strut (structural member that separates each ram-scramjet plasma accelerator ramp), coming off the superconducting power shall core (SPSC) in the HYPERDRIVE Engine

[0040] Taking a macroscopic approach where torque is related to winding hack EMF through the use of conservation of energy principles, a general torque expression for a motor/generator can be expanded as Equation 2.

[0041] Equation 2 defines where Ag is the cross-sectional area air gap, Bm, and it is the air gap flax density created by the magnets, and Ne is the number of turns, I is the rated winding current, Tp is the pole pitch (Diagram E).

[0042] In maximizing electric and magnetic loading, it is assumed that a frictionless flow is present to a constraining radius to a point of compression from structural landmarks in the HYPERDRIVE engine architecture, Ac to Ax, as a constraining radius, so described in the “Summarization Derivative” (Equation 3).

[0043] That the constraining radius from Ac to Ax changes over time to a design point of Mach 4.5, the constraining radius of the Superconducting Power Shaft Core previously, is defined here between the axial radius at this point in the core, Ac, at the electromagnetic rotating compression for the ram-scramjet, and dual combustion point herewith, and then pure scramjet operational point. The equation summarizes the electromagnetic and thermodynamic forces present, resultant to the point of combustion, at the first and second point of the scramjet ramp, catalyzed by M, at the radius R, with cross-sectional area A, at this constraining radius Ax, and force vector of magnetic flux, and compression efficiency C.

[0044] At the above point in technical subject 13, above, mass flow constraining radius of compression must be equal between mechanical compression, ram-scramjet compression, pure supersonic scramjet compression, hypersonic superconducting ion plasma compression-acceleration, therefore through substitution we have Equation 4.

[0045] Equation 4 is simplified and integrated to yield a differential equation linking total temperature to total compression. Including electromagnetic heating influence through convection, to total Mach number, which is found across mass flow constraining radius, Equation 5.

[0046] It is noted that the Mach number in Equation 5 decreases steadily with heating on energy addition (total temperature increases) and passes continuously through as a sonic condition. The slope of the curves for function summary is a function of Mach number, and increase with heating and rise in compression, and enthalpy. This is due to the follow-on integrated compression ratio summary from Ac to Ax, as a function of pressure, tied to Mach number, at any precise radius along the HYPERDRIVE powershaft core, and the function becoming the integrated summary function, Equation 6.

[0047] The total heating loss in HYPERDRIVE is critical to understand as it is the combination of both combustion and electric cycles, and the electric component adds energy through convection and heating, it can be expressed as a Raleigh heating number in Equation 7 within the constant changing radius of the HYPERDRIVE ram-scramjet tunnel and superconducting accelerated plasma flow corridor, one in the same, from Ac to Ax, within the throat of the tunnel between mechanical compression (axial compressor blades) and supersonic compression, and consequential combustion, upward from Mach 3.3 toward Mach 4.5.

[0048] Total, compression again decreases with increased heating (or total temperature), and more rapidly, as the inlet to the throat of the compression ramp behind the articulating compression ramp aerospike observes flow Mach number increases.

[0049] Equation 8 leads to similarity between Ac to Ax of the ram-scram MHD electromagnetic compression ramp, with a constant area of heating, and is shown as total pressure, which can never fall below Summary Pressure equation 9.

[0050] In all thermodynamic and some electric heating plasma arc engine systems higher operating temperatures lead to higher pressure drops, both in the HYPERDRIVE dual mode combustor, and downstream where it is not wanted, effecting total propulsive thrust, Isp. This association is directly connected to non-isothermal temperatures within the segmented walls of HYPERDRIVE in the architectural geometry of the ram-scram combustors and diffusers separated by these walls (Diagram E) This is in effect segmentation between each radial flow-path, and each scramjet combustor ramp.

[0051] The wall, along with the cryogen hydrogen fuel coolant is lower in temperature, therefore local flow thru velocity is higher, yielding to a higher differential pressure drop originating from viscous forces. A thermal equilibrium is assumed at the scramjet/turbo-ramjet walls, with the cryogen coolant (hydrogen) acting as a linear temperature isolator measured as a hot gas convection/conductive heat sink.

[0052] The Darcy-Forcheimer Equation, equation 10, is well established phenomenologically derived constitutive equation that describes the flow through a conductive medium, as in hydrogen in HYPERDRIVE, acting as a conductive heat sink and thermally managing the temperature of the porous walls during combustion in a ram-scramjet injector ramp. This is the first time for this and is novel and unique to HYPERDRIVE. The ramjet pressure gradient from compression of mass flow, combined with the scramjet pressure gradient across a significantly larger Mach number is only achievable through a porous segmented wall of the combustor section of the ram-scramjet in HYPERDRIVE. Equation 10 is modified to accommodate the broader heat gradients of this “hybrid hypersonic combustor”, utilizing porous metal matrix ceramic walls, in the segmentation of one ram-scram combustor section from another, in radial fashion, around the circumference of the HYPERDRIVE engine.

[0053] The modified mathematic derivation of the Darcy Equation, accommodates the heat gradients, cooling and distribution of the hydrogen through the porous walls with cryogen hydrogen fuel, creating the required differential pressures and cooling across the ram-scramjet ramps and injectors. The pressure drops that are high from high temperatures operating at combustion point of thermally stabilized cryogenic hydrogen, through a porous, radial, dual mode, ram-scramjet combustor, as in HYPERDRIVE, is unique and novel. in the modified Darcy Equation described where the viscosity is temperature dependent following the Power Law as in Equation 11, where flow through results are compared to the modified Darcy Forcheimer Equation with CMC porous walls in the ram-scramjet combustor region in HYPERDRIVE, noting that pressure drop maybe plotted against flow through. The region of the ram-scram combustor and its walls is most important, because it is neither desired to reach full-cooling of the wall, nor is it possible to exceed the maximum bearable temperature of the wall material.

[0054] It will be understood that there is a multi-engine which carries out five engine cycles. First there is a supersonic air breather, then a supersonic air breather, then an ion turbo rocket, then a pure non-air breathing rocket, and finally a high power electromagnet plasma drive propulsion combining rocket and MHD plasma dynamics.

[0055] Referring to FIG. 8, HYPERDRIVE includes a subsonic air breather 12 with actuating engine flaps 14 and 16. There is a ram-scramjet compressor tunnel 18 and a supersonic air breather compressor tunnel 20. There hollow compression and bypass air tunnel 22 and a turbine core 24. There is also a ion plasma strutjet infusion combustor and rocket fuel injector as at 28 and 30. Referring to FIG. 9, there are three stage superconducting electromagnetic rings. 32 and a fixed ion plasma infusion strut jet 34. It will be appreciated that hydrogen makes up 73.0% (mole percent) of matter in space. HYPERDRIVE is designed to fly into space where it uses and draws in molecular hydrogen through opposing electromagnetic fields at the inlet of the ram-scramjet and disassociates hydrogen to helicon isotope for fuel for ion plasma thrust augmentation at the beginning of its rocket mode operation and augmenting the air breathing mode of scramjet operation at the end of this cycle.

[0056] It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.