Integral propulsion and auxiliary power generation system for rocket engine powered aircraft

An integral propulsion and auxiliary power generation system for rocket engine powered aircraft, the system comprising:

• a rocket engine configured to burn a pressurized mixture of liquid propellants including a liquid fuel and a liquid oxidizer to generate thrust;
• a liquid propellant supply system configured to supply the liquid fuel and the liquid oxidizer to the rocket engine, the liquid propellant supply system comprising:
• a gas generator configured to burn a mixture of the liquid fuel and the liquid oxidizer to generate a combustion gas stream, and
• a gas turbine in fluid communication with the gas generator, the gas turbine being configured to convert the kinetic energy of the combustion gas stream into mechanical energy;
• a power generator configured to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy;
• a transmission system configured to mechanically couple the gas turbine and the power generator to selectively transfer mechanical energy between the gas turbine and the power generator;
• an electric load device electrically coupled to the power generator;
• and
• a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the electric load device and in fluid communication with at least one of a fuel pump and an oxidizer pump, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to transfer thermal energy from the electric load device to a volume of liquid fuel or a volume of liquid oxidizer flowing through the heat exchanger to cool the electric load device to a temperature at which electrically conductive material in the electric load device reaches a superconducting state.

An integral propulsion and auxiliary power generation system for rocket engine powered aircraft, the system comprising:

• a rocket engine configured to burn a pressurized mixture of liquid propellants including a liquid fuel and a liquid oxidizer to generate thrust;
• a liquid propellant supply system configured to supply the liquid fuel and the liquid oxidizer to the rocket engine, the liquid propellant supply system comprising:
• a gas generator configured to burn a mixture of the liquid fuel and the liquid oxidizer to generate a combustion gas stream, and
• a gas turbine in fluid communication with the gas generator, the gas turbine being configured to convert the kinetic energy of the combustion gas stream into mechanical energy;
• a power generator configured to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy;
• a transmission system configured to mechanically couple the gas turbine and the power generator to selectively transfer mechanical energy between the gas turbine and the power generator;
• an electric load device electrically coupled to the power generator;
• a superconducting magnetic energy storage device configured to convert electrical energy generated by the power generator into stored potential energy;
• and
• a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the superconducting magnetic energy storage device and in fluid communication with at least one of a fuel pump and an oxidizer pump, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to transfer thermal energy from the superconducting magnetic energy storage device to a volume of liquid fuel or a volume of liquid oxidizer flowing through the heat exchanger to cool the superconducting magnetic energy storage device to a temperature at which electrically conductive material in the superconducting magnetic energy storage device reaches a superconducting state.