Pulse detonation engine having an aerodynamic valve

Abstract

A pulse detonation engine ( ) is provided with an aerovalve ( ) for controlling the pressure of injected propellants (Ox, Fuel) in an open-ended detonation chamber ( ). The propellants are injected at such pressure and velocity, and in a direction generally toward a forward thrust wall end ( ) of the detonation chamber ( ), an aerovalve ( ) is formed which effectively inhibits or prevents egress of the propellant from the detonation chamber ( ). A shock wave ( ) formed by the injected propellant acts, after reflection by the thrust wall end ( ) and in combination with the aerovalve ( ), to compress and conserve, or increase, the pressure of the injected propellant. Carefully timed ignition ( ) effects a detonation pulse under desired conditions of maintained, or increased, pressure. Termination of the propellant injection serves to “open” the aerovalve ( ), and exhaust of the combusted propellants occurs to produce thrust. Alternate embodiments of propellant injection mechanisms ( ) provide pulse valves ( ) each having a fixed slotted disk ( ) and a rotating slotted disk ( ) to provide the desired high speed valving of discrete pulses of propellant for injection.