Rocket Nozzles for Unconventional Vehicles
AssigneeAerojet-General Corporation
InventorMelvin J. Bulman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Improved rocket nozzle designs for vehicles with nozzles embedded in or protruding from surfaces remote from the desired thrust axis. The nozzle configurations are for rocket vehicles where the nozzles are not located at the optimal thrust axis of the vehicle. Two examples include nozzles located on the forward end of the vehicle (also called tractor nozzles) and attitude control nozzles located on the periphery of the vehicle. More particularly, the disclosed nozzle shapes enhance the axial thrusts and/or maneuver torques on the vehicle. These unconventional nozzle shapes improve vehicle performance.
Claims8
A vehicle, comprising;
- a payload;
- vehicle maneuvering thrusters submerged into an exterior surface of said vehicle, said vehicle maneuvering thrusters having a converging portion adjacent a source of subsonic propellant gas, a throat effective to accelerate said propellant gas to supersonic velocity and a diverging nozzle portion disposed about a centerline;
- said diverging nozzle portion terminating at a first exit portion flush with said exterior surface of said vehicle and an opposing second exit portion terminating within said vehicle and a scarfed surface extending from said second exit portion to a point flush with said exterior surface of said vehicle;
- wherein said scarfed surface is displaced from said centerline by an angle greater than said nozzle is displaced from said centerline.
A vehicle, comprising;
- a payload;
- vehicle maneuvering thrusters submerged into an exterior surface of said vehicle, said vehicle maneuvering thrusters having a converging portion adjacent a source of subsonic propellant gas, a throat effective to accelerate said propellant gas to supersonic velocity and a diverging nozzle portion disposed about a centerline;
- said diverging nozzle portion terminating at both a first exit portion submerged within said vehicle and an opposing second exit portion also submerged within said vehicle;
- wherein a first extension portion extends from said first exit portion to said exterior surface, said second extension portion extends from said second exit portion to said exterior surface and said second extension portion is displaced from said centerline by an angle greater than said first extension portion is displaced.
A vehicle, comprising;
- a payload;
- vehicle maneuvering thrusters submerged into an exterior surface of said vehicle, said vehicle maneuvering thrusters having a converging portion adjacent a source of subsonic propellant gas, a throat effective to accelerate said propellant gas to supersonic velocity and a diverging nozzle portion disposed about a centerline;
- said diverging nozzle portion terminating at both a first exit portion submerged within said vehicle and an opposing second exit portion also submerged within said vehicle;
- wherein a first extension portion extends from said first exit portion to said exterior surface, said second extension portion extends from said second exit portion to said exterior surface and said first extension portion is includes an over-turned deflection portion to improve torque generation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.