# US 10,309,344 B2 · Stored pressure driven cycle

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- Number: US 10,309,344 B2
- Document ID: US10309344B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/896,146
- Filed: 2014-05-01
- Published: 2016-05-12
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2013-06-07
- Assignees: Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc.
- Applicants: Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc.
- Inventors: Alan B. Minick; Timothy S. Kokan; Jerrol W. Littles
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309344B2

## CPC

- F02K 9/48: driven by a gas turbine fed by propellant combustion gases {or fed by vaporized propellants or other gases}
- F02K 9/46: using pumps
- F02K 9/50: using pressurised fluid to pressurise the propellants
- B64G 1/401: {Liquid propellant rocket engines (Ion or plasma engines B64G1/413; Arcjets and other resistojets B64G1/415)}
- F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00)
- B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR

## Abstract

A propulsion system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a pressurant selectively released from a pressure tank to drive a pump to sustain propellant flow for main combustion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A propulsion system, comprising:
a pressurant selectively released from a pressure tank to a turbine to drive a pump to sustain a propellant flow for main combustion in a thrust chamber assembly after an initial start-up of a rocket engine, wherein the turbine is mechanically coupled to the pump, wherein there is no combustor and no energy enhancing device between the pressure tank and the turbine, wherein the pressurant discharged at an outlet of the turbine is not discharged to the thrust chamber assembly, wherein the pressurant is not in fluid communication with the propellant flow.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The propulsion system as recited in claim 1, wherein the pressurant is stored in the pressure tank within a range of 500-12,000 psi.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The propulsion system as recited in claim 1, wherein the pressurant expands through a turbine to drive the pump.

### Claim 4

A propulsion system, comprising:
a storage tank storing a propellant;
a pressure tank storing a pressurant;
a thrust chamber assembly configured to combust the propellant to generate thrust;
a turbine fluidly coupled with the pressure tank;
a pump in fluid communication with the storage tank, wherein the pump is mechanically coupled with the turbine;
wherein the pump is driven by the turbine, wherein the turbine is driven by a pressurant selectively released from the pressure tank, wherein there is no combustor and no energy enhancing device between the pressure tank and the turbine, to sustain a flow of the propellant for main combustion after an initial start-up of a rocket engine, wherein the pressurant is not in fluid communication with the propellant flow, wherein the pressurant discharged at an outlet of the turbine is not discharged to the thrust chamber assembly.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The propulsion system as recited in claim 4, wherein the storage tank is a first storage tank storing a first propellant, and wherein the propulsion system further comprises a second storage tank storing a second propellant.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The propulsion system as recited in claim 5, wherein the pump is a first pump in fluid communication with the first storage tank, and wherein the propulsion system further comprises a second pump in fluid communication with the second storage tank.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The propulsion system as recited in claim 6, wherein the first pump and the second pump are driven by the pressurant selectively released from the pressure tank to sustain flow of the first propellant and the second propellant for main combustion.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The propulsion system as recited in claim 7, wherein the pressurant is expanded through the turbine to drive at least one of the first pump and the second pump.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The propulsion system as recited in claim 7, wherein the pressurant is stored in the pressure tank at a pressure within a range of 500-12,000 psi.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The propulsion system as recited in claim 7, an ullage in the first storage tank and an ullage in the second storage tank are regulated by the pressurant selectively released from the pressure tank.

### Claim 11

A method of operating a propulsion system, comprising: selectively releasing a pressurant from a pressurant tank to a turbine after an initial start-up of a rocket engine, wherein there is no combustor and no energy enhancing device between the pressure tank and the turbine; and driving at least one pump with the turbine to sustain propellant flow for main combustion in a thrust chamber assembly, wherein the pressurant is not in fluid communication with the propellant flow, wherein the pressurant discharged at an outlet of the turbine is not discharged to the thrust chamber assembly.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method as recited in claim 11, including the step of selectively releasing the pressurant to regulate an ullage in a propellant storage tank.