Closed-cycle rocket engine assemblies and methods of operating such rocket engine assemblies

Abstract

Closed-cycle rocket engine assemblies including a combustor assembly, a combustor jacket, a turbine, a first pump and a mixing chamber are disclosed. The combustor jacket facilitates the transfer of heat from the combustor assembly into a fluid and the turbine is driven by a heated fluid from the combustor jacket. The mixing chamber may include a first inlet to receive a fluid from the turbine, a second inlet to receive a fluid from a first reactant reservoir, and an outlet to deliver a fluid to the first pump. Additionally, the first pump may be coupled to and powered by the turbine and the first pump may be configured to deliver at least a portion of the fluid from the mixing chamber into the combustion chamber of the combustor assembly. Related methods of operating such rocket engine assemblies are also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.