Wiktionary
n. 1 (context aerospace English) A mechanical device that uses a chemical reaction to produce a gas as an output 2 (context engineering US English) an electrical generator that runs on gasoline
Wikipedia
A gas generator is a device for generating gas. It may take many forms but often refers to a device, similar to a solid rocket or a liquid rocket that burns fuel to produce large volumes of relatively cool gas, instead of maximizing the temperature and specific impulse. The low temperature allows the gas to be put to use more easily in many applications, particularly to drive gas turbines. Gas generators are used to power turbopumps in rocket motors, to deploy airbags, and in other cases where large volumes of gas are needed, and storing it as a pressurized gas is undesirable or impractical.
A gas-generator cycle can also specifically refer to a way of designing a turbopump-fed liquid rocket engine, where some of the propellant is burned to drive the turbopump, and the exhaust is dumped overboard (usually through a nozzle) instead of being fed into the main combustion chamber. Many liquid rockets are designed this way, for example the Saturn V F-1 and SpaceX Merlin engines. Usually, the propellants are burned in a highly fuel-rich mix to keep flame temperatures low — O:F ratios below 0.5 are common.
Another good example is the V-2 rocket, which used hydrogen peroxide decomposed by a liquid sodium permanganate catalyst solution as a gas generator. This was used to drive the main turbopump to pressurize the LOX- ethanol propellants.
A common use for gas generators is in automobile air bags. A small pyrotechnic charge is usually used to open a valve, which begins the gas generation process. A typical charge might be a pound of sodium azide.
Another common gas generator is the chemical oxygen generator.
Gas generators have also been used to power torpedoes. Hydrogen peroxide is frequently used in such applications.
Gas generators can also be used for powering of auxiliary power units and emergency power units. Hydrazine is often used as a fuel.
Another type of gas generator produces fuel gas from carbonaceous material.
Usage examples of "gas generator".
Besides the elephant and the rockaway and the tandem machines of the gas generator, the train comprised seven house-vans and six wagons drawn by one horse apiece, and four heavier wagons drawn by the double teams of polka-dot horses.
But he had proudly showed them his workshop out back, near the gas generator.
Though the door was closed, she could hear the faint sounds of the radio straining over the chugging of the gas generator.
Ray Gusdorf dropped the needle onto the record, but his megaphones weren't working so hot, and it was pretty difficult to hear the song over the noise of the gas generator powering the announcing system anyway.
I can't run the air-conditioning off the batteries, but I can run it off the gas generator.
During one particularly long lull between videos, I, Jared, slip to the side of the house and turn off the Honda gas generator Linus has rigged up.
From there a powerful current ignited the gas generator at the back of the missile, simultaneously launching the missile and blasting the now-useless launch tube away from the launcher.
I assumed the cylinder contained a chemical gas generator, considering the pressure the balloon was expanding against.
Plumber put the mung in a box over a heavy little gas generator that provided electricity for the tubes that emitted electrons, smiled at Sister Beatrice, and then fried her to a gloppy stain seeping through the wicker.
They spent ten minutes trying to get the stubborn gas generator to run, taking turns on the starting cord until it coughed into smoking life.