Donald Ashley Morris

US Patent:

D482927, Dec 2, 2003

Filed:

Mar 27, 2003

Appl. No.:

29/178662

Inventors:

Donald L. Morris - Conifer CO
Edward T. Liljenwall - Santa Fe NM

Assignee:

David E. Schnedler - Palo Alto CA

International Classification:

3100

US Classification:

D 7373

US Patent:

6748735, Jun 15, 2004

Filed:

Aug 13, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/217972

Inventors:

Stephen N. Schmotolocha - Thousand Oaks CA
Donald H. Morris - Thousand Oaks CA
Robert J. Pederson - Thousand Oaks CA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

F02C 726

US Classification:

60 39826, 60 39821, 431158, 431263, 431264

Abstract:

An improved torch igniter for use in devices such as thrust augmenters, gas turbine engines, ramjets, combined-cycle engines and industrial burners. The torch igniter includes a housing with a combustion chamber. Fuel and oxidizer are delivered into the combustion chamber and ignited by an electronic ignition source, such as a plasma jet igniter or a spark igniter, so that an upstream recirculation zone and a downstream recirculation zone are created. The upstream recirculation zone stabilizes and pilots combustion within the combustion chamber, while the downstream recirculation zone augments the combustion event. Byproducts of the combustion event within the torch igniter provide a high mass flux with high thermal energy and strong ignition source radicals that are discharged through a neck portion of the housing and are thereafter employed to initiate a primary combustion event in a primary combustor.

US Patent:

D492621, Jul 6, 2004

Filed:

Sep 30, 2003

Appl. No.:

29/191119

Inventors:

Donald L. Morris - Conifer CO 80433

International Classification:

1213

US Classification:

D12 12

US Patent:

6820411, Nov 23, 2004

Filed:

Sep 13, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/243961

Inventors:

Robert J. Pederson - Thousand Oaks CA
Stephen N. Schmotolocha - Thousand Oaks CA
Donald H. Morris - Thousand Oaks CA
Raymond B. Edelman - Woodland Hills CA

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

F02K 708

US Classification:

60229, 60737, 60748, 60750, 60751, 23926527, 244169

Abstract:

An apparatus for providing propulsive power that utilizes a novel swirl generator for rapidly and efficiently atomizing, vaporizing, as necessary, and mixing a fuel into an oxidant. The swirl generator converts an oxidant flow into a turbulent, three-dimensional flowfield into which the fuel is introduced. The swirl generator effects a toroidal outer recirculation zone and a central recirculation zone, which is positioned within the outer recirculation zone. These recirculation zones are configured in a backward-flowing manner that carries heat and combustion byproducts upstream where they are employed to continuously ignite a combustible fuel/oxidizer mixture in adjacent shear layers. The swirl generator is compatible with the throttle range of conventional gas turbine engines, provides smooth combustion with no instabilities and minimum total pressure losses, enables significant reductions the in L/D ratio of the combustor and is readily packaged into various applications. Other benefits include simplicity, reliability, wide flammability limits and high combustion efficiency/thrust performance. This concept is applicable to various propulsion systems such as such as ramjet missiles, combine cycle engines, gas turbine afterburners and energy conversion devices.

US Patent:

6895756, May 24, 2005

Filed:

Feb 6, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/360016

Inventors:

Stephen N. Schmotolocha - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Donald H. Morris - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Robert J. Pederson - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Raymond B. Edelman - Woodland Hills CA, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

F02K003/10
F02K003/105

US Classification:

60761, 60762, 60765, 60749, 60750

Abstract:

An afterburner apparatus that utilizes a novel swirl generator for rapidly and efficiently atomizing, vaporizing, as necessary, and mixing a fuel into an oxidant. The swirl generator converts an oxidant flow into a turbulent, three-dimensional flowfield into which the fuel is introduced. The swirl generator effects a toroidal outer recirculation zone and a central recirculation zone, which is positioned within the outer recirculation zone. These recirculation zones are configured in a backward-flowing manner that carries heat and combustion byproducts upstream where they are employed to continuously ignite a combustible fuel/oxidizer mixture in adjacent shear layers. The recirculation zones accelerate flame propagation to allow afterburning to be completed in a relatively short length. Inherent with this swirl afterburner concept are design compactness, light weight, lower cost, smooth and efficient combustion, high thrust output, wide flammability limits, continuous operation at stoichiometric fuel/oxidizer mixture ratios, no combustion instabilities, and relatively low pressure losses.

US Patent:

6912857, Jul 5, 2005

Filed:

Mar 4, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/793506

Inventors:

Stephen N. Schmotolocha - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Donald H. Morris - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Robert J. Pederson - Thousand Oaks CA, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

F02C007/26
F02C007/264

US Classification:

60776, 60 39826, 431263

Abstract:

An improved torch igniter for use in devices such as thrust augmenters, gas turbine engines, ramjets, combined-cycle engines and industrial burners. The torch igniter includes a housing with a combustion chamber. Fuel and oxidizer are delivered into the combustion chamber and ignited by an electronic ignition source, such as a plasma jet igniter or a spark igniter, so that an upstream recirculation zone and a downstream recirculation zone are created. The upstream recirculation zone stabilizes and pilots combustion within the combustion chamber, while the downstream recirculation zone augments the combustion event. Byproducts of the combustion event within the torch igniter provide a high mass flux with high thermal energy and strong ignition source radicals that are discharged through a neck portion of the housing and are thereafter employed to initiate a primary combustion event in a primary combustor.

US Patent:

6968695, Nov 29, 2005

Filed:

Feb 6, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/360469

Inventors:

Stephen N. Schmotolocha - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Robert J. Pederson - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Raymond B. Edelman - Woodland Hills CA, US
Donald H. Morris - Thousand Oaks CA, US

Assignee:

The Boeing Company - Chicago IL

International Classification:

F02K007/10
F02K007/14

US Classification:

60767, 60768

Abstract:

A ramjet powered device that utilizes a novel swirl generator for rapidly and efficiently atomizing, vaporizing, as necessary, and mixing a fuel into an oxidant. The swirl generator converts an oxidant flow into a turbulent, three-dimensional flowfield into which the fuel is introduced. The swirl generator effects a toroidal outer recirculation zone and an inner central recirculation zone, both of which are configured in a backward-flowing manner that carries heat and combustion byproducts upstream where they are employed to continuously ignite a combustible fuel/oxidizer mixture in adjacent shear layers and stabilizes flame propagation and accelerates combustion throughout the entire combustor. The swirl generator provides smooth combustion with no instabilities and minimum total pressure losses and enables significant reductions in the L/D ratio of the combustor. Other benefits include simplicity, reliability, wide flammability limits and high combustion efficiency and thrust performance.

US Patent:

7137255, Nov 21, 2006

Filed:

Mar 31, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/095647

Inventors:

Stephen N Schmotolocha - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Donald H Morris - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Robert J Pederson - Thousand Oaks CA, US
Raymond B Edelman - Woodland Hills CA, US

Assignee:

United Technologies Corporation - Hartford CT

International Classification:

F02K 3/10
F02K 3/105

US Classification:

60761, 60762

Abstract:

An afterburner apparatus that utilizes a novel swirl generator for rapidly and efficiently atomizing, vaporizing, as necessary, and mixing a fuel and an oxidant. The swirl generator converts an oxidant flow into a turbulent, three-dimensional flowfield into which the fuel is introduced. The swirl generator effects a toroidal outer recirculation zone and a central recirculation zone, which is positioned within the outer recirculation zone. These recirculation zones are configured in a backward-flowing manner that carries heat and combustion byproducts upstream where they are employed to continuously ignite a combustible fuel/oxidizer mixture in adjacent shear layers. The recirculation zones accelerate flame propagation to allow afterburning to be completed in a relatively short length. Inherent with this swirl afterburner concept are design compactness, light weight, lower cost, smooth and efficient combustion, high thrust output, wide flammability limits, continuous operation at stoichiometric fuel/oxidizer mixture ratios, no combustion instabilities, and relatively low pressure losses.