Cryogenically compatible rocket propellant
AssigneeTgv Rockets, Inc.
InventorEarl Renaud
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Propellants for rockets, space transportation vehicles, launch vehicles and systems, crew escape vehicles and systems, launch escape towers, and space vehicle systems are disclosed. Some embodiments provide a rocket propellant comprising a mixture of a small chain alkane from 1 to 4 carbons and a small chain alkene from 3 to 4 carbons. The mixture of the small chain alkane and small chain alkene is in a proportion that lowers the melting of the mixture below the melting point of both the small chain alkane and small chain alkene.
Claims14
A liquid propellant consisting essentially of:
- methane;
- and
- ethane,
- wherein said liquid propellant has a melting point less than a melting point of pure methane and a melting point of pure ethane.
The rocket engine system according to claim 12, wherein the liquid oxidizer is liquid oxygen at a temperature less than 90 Kelvin.
The rocket engine system according to claim 13, wherein the liquid propellant and the liquid oxidizer are separated by a common wall.
The rocket engine system according to claim 14, wherein the liquid propellant and the liquid oxidizer are cryogenically cooled to a temperature less than 80 Kelvin.
The rocket system according to claim 15, further comprising liquid nitrogen configured to cryogenically cool the liquid propellant and the liquid oxidizer to the temperature less than 80 Kelvin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.