René Lorin (24 March 1877– 16 January 1933) was a French aerospace engineer and inventor of the ramjet.[1] In 1908 he patented the first subsonic ramjet design.
Lorin published the principles of a ramjet in articles in the journal L'Aérophile from 1908[2][3][4] to 1913, expressing the idea that the exhaust from internal combustion engines could be directed into nozzles to create jet propulsion.[5][6] He could not build this invention since there was no way at the time for an aircraft to go fast enough for a ramjet to function properly.[7][8]
When René Leduc applied for a patent on a ramjet design in 1933, he discovered Lorin's publications and tried to contact him, only to learn that he had recently died. Leduc thereafter paid homage to Lorin's work.[9]
René Lorin is a graduate of the École Centrale Paris.
References
- ^ "SP-4306 Engines and Innovation: Lewis Laboratory and American Propulsion Technology", Ch.4, p.68
- ^ Lorin, René. "Le propulseur à échappement et l'aéroplane à grande vitesse" L'Aérophile, Sept. 1908, 332-336.
- ^ Gibbs-Smith, Charles. 1970 and 2000. Aviation: An historical survey from its origins to the end of the Second World War. Science Museum. pp. 163-164.
- ^ Brockett, Paul. 1917. Bibliography of Aeronautics.
- ^ 1941 Flight article explaining ramjets and mentioning Lorin's work
- ^ "Aviation: From Sand Dunes to Sonic Booms: A National Register of Historic Places Travel Itinerary," National Park Service web site
- ^ Ricco, Philippe. "Leduc: the difficult beginning"
- ^ Philippe Ballarini, translated by Marc Binazzi. "The ramjet: Past, present or future?"
- ^ Ricco, Philippe. "Leduc: the difficult beginning." At Aerostories.free.fr.