US 11,725,586 B2
Jet engine with plasma-assisted combustion
Andrew D. Lowery, Morgantown, WV (US); and James E. Smith, Bruceton Mills, WV (US)
Filed by West Virginia University Board of Governors on Behalf of West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV (US)
Filed on Jul. 19, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/517,090.
Application 16/517,090 is a continuation of application No. 15/848,005, filed on Dec. 20, 2017, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2019/0368422 A1, Dec. 5, 2019
Int. Cl. F02C 7/266 (2006.01); F23R 3/00 (2006.01); F23R 3/28 (2006.01); H01P 7/04 (2006.01); H01P 7/06 (2006.01); H05H 1/46 (2006.01); H01Q 1/44 (2006.01); H01Q 13/08 (2006.01); H05H 1/24 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/266 (2013.01) [F23R 3/002 (2013.01); F23R 3/28 (2013.01); H01P 7/04 (2013.01); H01P 7/06 (2013.01); H01Q 1/44 (2013.01); H01Q 13/08 (2013.01); H05H 1/2441 (2021.05); H05H 1/46 (2013.01); F05D 2240/35 (2013.01); F05D 2260/99 (2013.01); F23R 2900/00008 (2013.01); F23R 2900/00009 (2013.01); H05H 1/463 (2021.05); H05H 1/4645 (2021.05); H05H 1/47 (2021.05)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
a combustion chamber of a jet engine, the combustion chamber including a liner defining a combustion zone;
a radio-frequency power source;
a coaxial resonator electromagnetically coupled to the radio-frequency power source and having a resonant wavelength, the coaxial resonator including (i) a first conductor, (ii) a second conductor, (iii) a base conductor at a proximal end of the coaxial resonator, (iv) a dielectric between the first conductor and the second conductor, and (vi) an electrode electromagnetically coupled to the first conductor, the electrode having a distal end disposed in the combustion zone, the electrode having at least one outlet, wherein the coaxial resonator is configured such that, when the coaxial resonator is excited by the radio-frequency power source with a signal having a wavelength proximate to an odd-integer multiple of one-quarter (¼) of the resonant wavelength, the coaxial resonator provides a plasma corona in the combustion zone;
an impedance sensor that measures an impedance of the coaxial resonator and provides an impedance measurement, the impedance sensor being electrically coupled to the first conductor and the second conductor of the coaxial resonator; and
a controller that receives the impedance measurement and which is configured to cause the radio-frequency power source to excite the coaxial resonator with the signal so as to provide the plasma corona and cause combustion of fuel, the controller being configured to: determine at least one parameter of the combustion chamber from the impedance measurement, the at least one parameter comprising at least one of a temperature within the combustion chamber, a pressure within the combustion chamber, and a chemical composition within the combustion chamber; and to adjust the radio-frequency power source and the plasma corona generated in the combustion chamber based at least in part on the at least one determined parameter.