Multipulse rocket motor with pressure-equalizing channels
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsAllan Dokhan, Lauren Elizabeth Brunacini, Charles R. Lustenberger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multipulse rocket motor includes a secondary pulse, fired after a primary pulse of the motor, that includes a thermal insulator having channels therein, around a propellant grain of the secondary pulse. The channels provide a way to equalize pressure on the propellant grain of the secondary pulse, to reduce stresses on the propellant grain as the primary pulse is operating. The channels may extend along most or substantially all of a length of the secondary pulse. The channels may be defined by material strips of thermal insulator material evenly circumferentially spaced around the secondary pulse.
Claims19
A multipulse rocket motor comprising:
- a primary pulse;
- and
- a secondary pulse extending from a proximal end facing the primary pulse to an opposing distal end, the secondary pulse fired after the primary pulse;
- wherein the secondary pulse includes a thermal insulator around a propellant grain of the secondary pulse;
- and
- wherein the thermal insulator defines channels therein, the channels extending from an open region proximal the primary pulse toward the distal end of the secondary pulse, thereby enabling movement of pressurized gasses from the primary pulse to pressurize the secondary pulse prior to firing the secondary pulse.
A missile comprising:
- a fuselage;
- and
- a multipulse rocket motor within the fuselage, the mutlipulse rocket motor including:
- a primary pulse;
- and
- a secondary pulse fired after the primary pulse;
- wherein the secondary pulse includes a thermal insulator around a propellant grain of the secondary pulse, the thermal insulator extending from a proximal end facing the primary pulse to an opposing distal end;
- and
- wherein the thermal insulator defines channels therein, the channels extending from an open region proximal the primary pulse toward the distal end of the thermal insulator thereby enabling movement of pressurized gasses from the primary pulse to pressurize the secondary pulse prior to firing the secondary pulse.
A method of operating a multipulse rocket motor, the method comprising:
- firing a primary pulse of the rocket motor;
- pressuring channels around a secondary pulse of the rocket motor, using pressurized gasses from firing of the primary pulse;
- and
- following the firing of the primary pulse, firing the secondary pulse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.