Solid-propellant gas generator assemblies and methods
AssigneeGoodrich Corporation
InventorsBrian Wilson, Kevin Mueller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solid-propellant gas generator assembly may comprise a bulkhead having an orifice disposed in a housing. The bulkhead may be disposed between a first end and a second end of the housing. The bulkhead and the first end may define a propellant cavity. The bulkhead and the second end may define a pressure chamber. A fast burning solid-propellant may be disposed in the propellant cavity. The solid-propellant gas generator assembly may be configured to replace a slow burning solid-propellant gas generator system in a solid-propellent gas generator system.
Claims20
A cartridge assembly for use in a slow burning solid-propellant system, the slow burning solid-propellant system having a first burn rate, the cartridge assembly comprising:
- a housing having a first end, a second end, and a wall extending from the first end to the second end;
- a bulkhead having an orifice disposed in the housing, a propellant cavity defined between the bulkhead and the first end of the housing, and a pressure chamber defined between the bulkhead and the second end;
- and
- a fast burning solid-propellant disposed in the propellant cavity, the fast burning solid-propellant having a second burn rate, the second burn rate being greater than the first burn rate.
A solid-propellant gas generator system comprising:
- a conduit;
- a bulkhead disposed in the conduit, the bulkhead comprising an orifice;
- a mechanical device in fluid communication with the conduit, the bulkhead disposed between a first end of the conduit and the mechanical device, a propellant cavity disposed between the first end and the bulkhead, a pressure chamber disposed between the bulkhead and the mechanical device;
- and
- a fast burning solid-propellant disposed in the propellant cavity, the fast burning solid-propellant comprises at least one of ammonium perchlorate and hydroxyl terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binders, wherein:
- the pressure chamber includes a first pressure profile similar to a second pressure profile of a slow burning solid-propellant cartridge comprising ammonium nitrate propellant,
- the slow burning solid-propellant cartridge includes a first burn rate,
- the fast burning solid-propellant includes a second burn rate, and
- the second burn rate is faster than the first burn rate.
(canceled)
A method of retro-fitting a solid-propellant gas generator system, the method comprising:
- removing a first cartridge assembly from the solid-propellant gas generator system, the first cartridge assembly including a slow burning solid-propellant;
- and
- coupling a second cartridge assembly to the solid-propellant gas generator system, the second cartridge assembly including a fast burning solid-propellant configured to burn faster than the slow burning solid-propellant, wherein:
- an orifice of the second cartridge assembly is configured to meter a flow of gas into a pressure chamber of the second cartridge assembly,
- a pressure in a propellant cavity of the second cartridge assembly and the pressure chamber of the second cartridge assembly equalize over time in response to burning the fast burning solid-propellant, and
- a first pressure profile of the first cartridge assembly corresponds to a second pressure profile of the pressure chamber of the second cartridge assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.