Pneumatic energy source utilizing liquid oxygen

Claim 2

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PNEUMATIC POWER, COMPRISING AN INSULATED VESSEL, COMPRISING: A FIRST CONTAINER FOR STORING LIQUIFIED INERT GAS AT AN ELEVATE PRESSURE, AND A SECOND CONTAINER WITHIN SAID FIRST CONTAINER FOR STORING LIQUIFIED OXYGEN, SAID SECOND CONTAINER PERMITTING HEAT FLOW FROM SAID LIQUIFIED OXYGEN TO SAID LIQUIFIED INERT GAS WHEN A TEMPERATURE DIFFERENTIAL EXISTS THEREBETWEEN, SAID SECOND CONTAINNER INCLUDING MEANS FOR APPLYING SAID ELEVATED PRESSURE OF SAID LIQUIFIED INERT GAS TO SAID LIQUIFIED OXYGEN TO PUMP SAID LIQUIFIED OXYGEN FROM SAID SECOND CONTAINER; MEANS FOR STORING A HYDROCARBON FUEL; AND A COMBUSTION CHAMBER FLUIDLY CONNECTED TO SID STORING MEANS AND SAID INSULATED VESSEL COMPRISING: MEANS FOR COMBINING SAID LIQUIFIED OXYGEN WITH SAID HYDROCARBON FUEL TO PRODUCE A HIGH TEMPERATURE FLAME AND MEANS FOR INJECTING SAID LIQUIFIED INERT GAS INTO SAID HIGH TEMPERATURE FLAME.

Claim 3

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power, comprising: an insulated vessel, comprising: a first container for storing liquified inert gas at an elevated pressure; and a second container within said first container for storing liquified oxygen, said second container permitting heat flow from said liquified oxygen to said liquified inert gas when a temperature differential exists therebetween, said second container including means for applying said elevated pressure of said liquified inert gas to said liquified oxygen to pump said liquified oxygen from said second container; means for storing a hydrocarbon fuel; and a combustion chamber fluidly connected to said storing means and said insulated vessel comprising: means for combining said liquified oxygen with said hydrocarbon fuel to produce a high temperature flame; aNd means for injecting said liquified inert gas into said high temperature flame.

Claim 4

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power, comprising: an insulated vessel, comprising: a first container for storing liquified inert gas at an elevated pressure; and a second container within said first container for storing liquified oxygen, said second container permitting heat flow from said liquified oxygen to said liquified inert gas when a temperature differential exists therebetween, said second container including means for applying said elevated pressure of said liquified inert gas to said liquified oxygen to pump said liquified oxygen from said second container; means for storing a hydrocarbon fuel; and a combustion chamber fluidly connected to said storing means and said insulated vessel comprising: means for combining said liquified oxygen with said hydrocarbon fuel to produce a high temperature flame; aNd means for injecting said liquified inert gas into said high temperature flame.

Claim 5

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power as defined in claim 1 wherein said second container is a flexible bladder within said first container, said bladder being flexible at the storage temperature of said liquified oxygen and said liquified inert gas.

Claim 6

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power as defined in claim 1 wherein said inert gas has a boiling point at its storage pressure which is lower than the boiling point of said liquified oxygen at the storage pressure of said liquified oxygen.

Claim 7

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power as defined in claim 3 wherein said liquified inert gas is liquified nitrogen.

Claim 8

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising: means located within said first container for raising the temperature of the entire bulk of said liquified inert gas to the saturated temperature at the storage pressure of said liquified inert gas.

Claim 9

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power as defined in claim 1 additionally comprising: means connected to said first container for withdrawing inert gas from said first container; means connected to said withdrawing means for vaporizing liquified inert gas; and means connected to said vaporizing means and said first container for conducting the vapor from said vaporizing means to said first container to maintain a desired pressure within said first container.

Claim 10

Apparatus for producing emergency power aboard an aircraft, comprising: means for storing liquid oxygen below its boiling point at the storage pressure; means for storing a hydrocarbon fuel; means for storing a pressurized liquified inert gas; a combustion chamber connected to each of said storing means, said chamber including means for mixing said liquid oxygen with said hydrocarbon fuel, burning said mixture, and mixing said liquified inert gas with the combustion products; means for pumping substantially all of said liquid oxygen to said combustion chamber regardless of the orientation of said liquid oxygen storing means comprising an expansible means in pressure communication with both said liquified inert gas and said liquid oxygen; and means responsive to the mixture of said liquified inert gas and combustion products for producing power.

Claim 11

Apparatus for producing emergency power aboard an aircraft, comprising: means for storing liquid oxygen below its boiling point at the storage pressure; means for storing a hydrocarbon fuel; means for storing a pressurized liquified inert gas; a combustion chamber connected to each of said storing means, said chamber including means for mixing said liquid oxygen with said hydrocarbon fuel, burning said mixture, and mixing said liquified inert gas with the combustion products; means for pumping substantially all of said liquid oxygen to said combustion chamber regardless of the orientation of said liquid oxygen storing means comprising an expansible means in pressure communication with both said liquified inert gas and said liquid oxygen; and means responsive to the mixture of said liquified inert gas and combustion products for producing power.

Claim 12

Apparatus for producing emergency power aboard an aircraft as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for producing power comprises the air turbine starter of a jet aircraft engine.

Claim 13

Apparatus for producing emergency power aboard an aircraft as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for producing power comprises electric and hydraulic pressure generators used for producing emergency control power aboard said aircraft.

Claim 14

Apparatus for producing emergency power aboard an aircraft as defined in claim 9 additionally comprising: means for automatically injecting said liquid oxygen, said hydrocarbon fuel and said liquified inert gas into said combustion chamber in response to failure of the electrical and hydraulic systems aboard said aircraft.

Claim 15

Apparatus for producing emergency power aboard an aircraft as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for storing liquid oxygen is located within said means for storing a liquified inert gas.

Claim 16

Apparatus for producing emergency power aboard an aircraft as defined in claim 7 wherein said combustion chamber comprises: a first mixing chamber connected to said means for storing liquid oxygen and said means for storing the hydrocarbon fuel; an ignition conduit in communication with said first mixing chamber, said ignition conduit including an ignition device; and a second mixing chamber fluidly connected to said ignition conduit and said means for storing a liquified inert gas.

Claim 19

A method of producing pneumatic energy as defined in claim 13 wherein said step of storing a quantity of liquified oxygen comprises storing said quantity within said quantity of liquified inert gas.

Claim 20

A method of producing pneumatic energy as defined in claim 13 additionally comprising: conducting said mixture of liquified inert gas and combustion products to a pneumatically actuated mechanical power producing mechanism.

Claim 23

A method of producing emergency power aboard an aircraft as defined in claim 16 wherein said liquified inert gas is nitrogen.

Claim 24

Apparatus for driving the air turbine starter of a jet aircraft engine, comprising: an insulated vessel, comprising: an outer container for storing a quantity of liquid nitrogen; a flexible bladder supported within and substantially surrounded by said outer container and immersed in said liquid nitrogen for storing liquid oxygen at a pressure substantially equal to the pressure at which said liquid nitrogen is stored; means for maintaining said liquid nitrogen at an elevated pressure, said pressure being effective to pump said liquid nitrogen and said liquid oxygen from said outer container and said flexible bladder; means connected to said flexible bladder and utilizing said liquid oxygen to produce a high temperature effluent gas; means connected to said outer container for injecting said liquid nitrogen into said high temperature effluent gas to produce a high volume effluent gas; and means for connecting said high volume effluent gas to said air turbine starter.

Claim 25

Apparatus for driving the air turbine starter of a jet aircraft engine, comprising: an insulated vessel, comprising: an outer container for storing a quantity of liquid nitrogen; a flexible bladder supported within and substantially surrounded by said outer container and immersed in said liquid nitrogen for storing liquid oxygen at a pressure substantially equal to the pressure at which said liquid nitrogen is stored; means for maintaining said liquid nitrogen at an elevated pressure, said pressure being effective to pump said liquid nitrogen and said liquid oxygen from said outer container and said flexible bladder; means connected to said flexible bladder and utilizing said liquid oxygen to produce a high temperature effluent gas; means connected to said outer container for injecting said liquid nitrogen into said high temperature effluent gas to produce a high volume effluent gas; and means for connecting said high volume effluent gas to said air turbine starter.

Claim 26

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power, comprising: a first container for storing pressurized liquified inert gas; a second container for storing liquified oxygen in thermal and static pressure communication with said liquified inert gas; a combustion chamber; means for combining said liquified oxygen with combustible fuel in said combustion chamber to produce a high temperature flame and exhaust gas stream; and means for combining said liquified inert gas with said high temperature exhaust gas stream to cool the gas stream and increase its volume.

Claim 27

Apparatus for producing pneumatic power, comprising: a first container for storing pressurized liquified inert gas; a second container for storing liquified oxygen in thermal and static pressure communication with said liquified inert gas; a combustion chamber; means for combining said liquified oxygen with combustible fuel in said combustion chamber to produce a high temperature flame and exhaust gas stream; and means for combining said liquified inert gas with said high temperature exhaust gas stream to cool the gas stream and increase its volume.