Abstract
EV Burners are of the type undergoing periodically ignited constant-volume combustion. In contrast to conventional firing techniques, wherein constant-pressure combustions occur substantially, a constant –volume combustion entails an explosive combustion with an accompanying pressure wave. A particular advantage of constant-volume combustion is that the pertinent starting components have a stoichiometric relationship and can be virtually completely consumed. Shock wave burner includes equipment for periodically injection fuel-oxidant mixture into a constant-volume combustion chamber, a laser pulse device for directing an intermitting beam of laser radiation pulses into the chamber so as to repeatedly ignite fuel-oxidant mixture supplied thereto, and equipment for synchronizing the frequency of injection of the fuel-oxidant mixture into the chamber with the pulse frequency of the laser beam. A photon ignition system for igniting the air/fuel spray within a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine is comprised of a photon source has an output wavelength characteristic suitable for being absorbed by the hydrocarbon fuel droplets within the fuel spray. An ultraviolet flash having spectral characteristics which are selected to be strongly absorbed by hydrocarbon fuel.