A thermal trace enhancer system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a body ( 2 ) situated on an air vehicle, at least one engine (E) enabling to drive the body ( 2 ) to which it is connected, a thermal unit ( 3 ) situated on the body ( 2 ) so as to be spaced apart from the engine (E), enabling to generate hot gases to increase the thermal trace, at least one air intake ( 4 ) provided in the thermal unit ( 3 ), enabling air to enter into the thermal unit ( 3 ) from the atmosphere, at least one combustion chamber ( 5 ) enabling hot gases to be generated as a result of the chemical reaction of fuel and the air taken through the air intake ( 4 ), a conductive thermal surface ( 6 ) enabling to increase the thermal trace by heat transfer with hot gases leaving the combustion chamber ( 5 ) hitting on itself, and at least one exhaust outlet ( 7 ) enabling the gases heating up the thermal surface ( 6 ) to exit the thermal unit ( 3 ).

1 . A thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) comprising:
 a body ( 2 ) situated on an air vehicle,   at least one engine (E) enabling to drive the body ( 2 ) to which it is connected,   a thermal unit ( 3 ) situated on the body ( 2 ) so as to be spaced apart from the engine (E), enabling to generate hot gases to increase the thermal trace,   at least one air intake ( 4 ) provided in the thermal unit ( 3 ), enabling air supply to the thermal unit ( 3 ) from atmosphere,   at least one combustion chamber ( 5 ) enabling hot gases to be generated as a result of a chemical reaction of fuel and the air taken through the air intake ( 4 ),   a conductive thermal surface ( 6 ) enabling to increase the thermal trace by becoming heated via heat transfer with hot gases leaving the combustion chamber ( 5 ) and hitting on itself,   at least one exhaust outlet ( 7 ) enabling the gases heating up the thermal surface ( 6 ) to be discharged from the thermal unit ( 3 ),   a compressor ( 8 ) situated in the thermal unit ( 3 ), enabling to compress the air taken through the air intake ( 4 ) and to transmit it to the combustion chamber ( 5 ), thereby increasing combustion efficiency,   an actuator ( 9 ) enabling the compressor ( 8 ) to make a rotational motion, and   a control unit ( 10 ) adjusting a number of revolutions of the actuator ( 9 ), thereby enabling to achieve a user-preferred temperature for the thermal surface ( 6 ).   
     
     
         2 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal unit ( 3 ) burns kerosene and its derivatives or diesel and its derivatives used as fuel by the engine (E) to generate hot gases. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one fuel pump ( 11 ) enabling to achieve a user-preferred temperature for the thermal surface ( 6 ) by adjusting a flow rate of fuel to be used for a combustion process in the combustion chamber ( 5 ). 
     
     
         4 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein the control unit ( 10 ) enables to keep and control the temperature of the thermal surface ( 6 ) at the user-preferred value by independently adjusting the flow rate of air through a command it transmits to the actuator ( 9 ) and an amount of fuel through a command it transmits to the fuel pump ( 11 ). 
     
     
         5 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , wherein the control unit ( 10 ) controls the actuator ( 9 ) and/or the fuel pump ( 11 ) according to temperature data it receives from at least one thermocouple ( 12 ) situated at the thermal surface ( 6 ) and/or the exhaust outlet ( 7 ) to keep the temperature at a user-preferred value. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 3 , comprising at least one sensor ( 13 ) situated on the air vehicle, enabling to measure of the air vehicle's speed, altitude, air temperature, static and/or dynamic air pressure data so that the control unit ( 10 ) controls the actuator ( 9 ) and/or the fuel pump ( 11 ) according to the data transmitted to it by the sensor ( 13 ) and keeps the temperature of the thermal surface ( 6 ) at a user-preferred value. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one fuel supply line ( 14 ) enabling to supply fuel of the air vehicle into the combustion chamber ( 5 ), and at least one evaporator ( 15 ) converting the fuel from the fuel supply line ( 14 ) into a gaseous form so that it can be injected into the combustion chamber ( 5 ). 
     
     
         8 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one igniter ( 16 ) having a temperature that evaporates the fuel and igniting injected fuel transmitted by the evaporator ( 15 ) to the combustion chamber ( 5 ), enabling a first combustion to begin. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 8 , wherein the control unit ( 10 ) enables the thermal unit ( 3 ) to be operated during flight by sending commands to the igniter ( 16 ), the fuel pump ( 11 ) and the actuator ( 9 ). 
     
     
         10 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising an inner surface ( 17 ), which is a first contact surface of hot gases exiting the combustion chamber ( 5 ), at least one opening ( 18 ) situated on the inner surface ( 17 ), enabling hot gases to heat the thermal surface ( 6 ) by passing over the inner surface ( 17 ), said inner surface ( 17 ) having a form in which a distance between the thermal surface ( 6 ) and itself becomes narrower towards the exhaust outlet ( 7 ). 
     
     
         11 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the thermal surface ( 6 ) can be adjusted by the control unit ( 10 ) to a temperature as required for detection by devices taking infrared images. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the compressor ( 8 ) enables to cool the thermal surface ( 6 ) in order to reduce the thermal trace in the air vehicle by making use of the air taken through the air intake ( 4 ). 
     
     
         13 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator ( 9 ) is in a type of an electric motor enabling to actuate the compressor ( 8 ). 
     
     
         14 . The thermal trace enhancer system ( 1 ) according to  claim 1 , comprising at least one revolution speed sensor ( 19 ) that detects the number of revolutions of the actuator ( 9 ) and transmits the number of revolutions signal to the control unit ( 10 ).