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The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net

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248 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Helicopter</strong><br />

Fig. 6.38 Various options for tip jet propulsion. All <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se eliminate torque reaction. At (a)<strong>the</strong> tip rocket is<br />

fed with fuel and oxidant down <strong>the</strong> blade. At (b)<strong>the</strong> ramjet, pulse jet and turbojet all take in air and only need a<br />

fuel supply. At (c)<strong>the</strong> cold-cycle pressure jet system pipes compressed air to <strong>the</strong> blade tip. At (d)<strong>the</strong> tip-burning<br />

system. At (e)<strong>the</strong> hot-cycle system feeds turbine exhaust down <strong>the</strong> blade.<br />

<strong>The</strong> ramjet is not self-starting and in a helicopter application <strong>the</strong> rotors must be brought<br />

to an appreciable tip speed before <strong>the</strong> ramjets can be started. This might require an<br />

electric motor or an auxiliary piston engine. <strong>The</strong> McDonnell Little Henry experimental<br />

helicopter used ramjets, as did Stanley Hiller’s Hor<strong>net</strong>.<br />

Figure 6.39(b) shows that <strong>the</strong> pulse jet is an intermittent combustion device. Forward<br />

motion or a supply <strong>of</strong> compressed air is needed to start. Air enters <strong>the</strong> combustion<br />

chamber through a flap or reed valve and is mixed with fuel and ignited. <strong>The</strong> pressure<br />

increase shuts <strong>the</strong> reed valve which causes <strong>the</strong> combustion products to be ejected rearwards,<br />

producing thrust. However, when <strong>the</strong> thrust cycle is over, <strong>the</strong> momentum <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

exhaust gases in <strong>the</strong> tailpipe causes a pressure drop in <strong>the</strong> combustion chamber. This<br />

causes <strong>the</strong> reed valve to open, admitting more air for <strong>the</strong> next cycle. An engine <strong>of</strong> this<br />

type was used in <strong>the</strong> Fieseler Fi-103 flying bomb <strong>of</strong> World War II; an early cruise missile<br />

aka <strong>the</strong> V-1.

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