Electrically operated propellants
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsJames K. Villarreal, Richard D. Loehr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrically operated propellant is configured to ignite and extinguish over a range of pressures. In examples, the electrically operated propellant is included in a gas generation system having a combustion chamber and at least two electrodes coupled with the propellant. The electrically operated propellant is configured to ignite at an ignition condition and extinguish under an extinguishing condition. In the ignition condition an electrical input is applied across the electrodes to ignite the electrically operated propellant. In the extinguishing condition the electrical input is interrupted while the pressure within the combustion chamber is greater than 200 psi, and the ignited electrically operated propellant extinguishes.
Claims27
A gas generation system with an electrically operated propellant comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
- at least two electrodes configured for coupling with an electrical power source;
- an electrically operated propellant within the combustion chamber, the electrically operated propellant is configured to extinguish at pressures greater than 200 psi, the at least two electrodes are coupled with the electrically operated propellant;
- and
- wherein the electrically operated propellant is configured to ignite at an ignition condition and extinguish under an extinguishing condition,
- in the ignition condition an electrical input is applied across the electrodes to ignite the electrically operated propellant, and
- in the extinguishing condition the electrical input is interrupted, the pressure within the combustion chamber is greater than 200 psi, and the electrically operated propellant transitions from ignited to extinguished.
An electrically operated propellant comprising:
- a liquid perchlorate based oxidizer of approximately 50 to 90 percent of the mass of the electrically operated propellant;
- a binder of approximately 10 to 30 percent of the mass of the electrically operated propellant;
- a metal based fuel of approximately 5 to 30 percent of the mass of the electrically operated propellant;
- and
- wherein the electrically operated propellant is configured to ignite and extinguish according to the respective application and interruption of an electrical input to the electrically operated propellant.
A method of using an electrically operated propellant located within a combustion chamber comprising:
- igniting an electrically operated propellant by applying an electrical input to the electrically operated propellant;
- generating pressurized gas within the combustion chamber from the combustion of the ignited electrically operated propellant, pressure in the combustion chamber reaching more than 200 psi;
- and
- extinguishing the electrically operated propellant with the interruption of the electrical input while the electrically operated propellant is subject to the pressure of more than 200 psi.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.