US 4,044,648 A · Rocket exhaust plenum flow control apparatus

Abstract

Apparatus for controlling the flow of exhaust gases between a plurality of rocket storage chambers, launch tubes or the like (herein referred to as chambers), and a common manifold for ducting rocket exhaust gases to a discharging location comprises a plurality of chamber-to-manifold flow transition sections, each having disposed within vertical portions thereof a pair of flow control doors. The flow control doors, pivotably mounted at upper portions in opposing relationship, are configured and counterbalanced to hang, in static conditions and under the force of gravity alone, in a fully or nearly fully closed condition. Alternatively, un-counterbalanced doors may be configured to hang, under static conditions, at least slightly inwardly inclined towards the vertical axis of the transition portion in which they are hung. During a rocket firing, manifold pressure causes doors in the transition sections, other than those through which a rocket is firing, to close and remain closed, thereby preventing circulation of rocket exhaust gases into non-firing rocket chambers. Flow control doors associated with firing rockets are caused to pivot towards a fully open condition by unbalanced moments acting thereon.

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Drawings

Claims30

Dependent claims

Controlled fluid flow apparatus comprising:

a. a plurality of fluid flow elements;
b. a common manifold;
c. means for connecting said elements to said manifold in fluid exchange relationship, said connecting means including a plurality of transition sections adapted for separately directing pressurized fluid from said elements into said manifold;
and
d. means for controlling the flow of pressurized fluid through said transition sections, said controlling means including a plurality of pairs of flow control doors and means for pivotably hanging the doors in opposing relationship by pairs in corresponding portions of the transition sections, said doors of each of said pairs being configured to hang, under the action of gravity alone, at least slightly inclined toward one another and being operative to pivot to a fully closed position in response to back pressure in the associated transition section when pressurized fluid is flowing through any non-associated transition section into the manifold, and being operative to pivot to just that degree of openness required to prevent fluid backflow when pressurized fluid is flowing through the associated transition section into the manifold.

2 more elements

In combination with a plurality of rocket storage or launch stations and a common rocket exhaust gas manifold for carrying exhaust gases from said stations to a discharging location, outlet openings of said station being disposed at an elevation above inlet openings of said manifold, apparatus for controlling flow of said exhaust gases between said station outlet openings and said manifold inlet openings, which comprises:

a. ducting means for connecting said station outlet portions to corresponding ones of said manifold inlet portions,
said ducting means including a plurality of transition sections, each of said sections connecting a different one of said station outlet openings to a corresponding one of said manifold inlet openings, at least portions of said transition section being normally vertically disposed, and
b. flow control means for controlling flow of said exhaust gases through said ducting means,
said flow control means including a plurality of pairs of flow control doors, a pair of said flow control doors being pivotally mounted within said vertically disposed portions of each of said transition sections, each of said pairs of said doors being configured to hang, under the action of gravity and in the static condition of absence of exhaust gas pressure in said manifold and associated stations, at a predetermined inwardly inclined angle to the vertical,
said doors of each of said pairs of doors being pivotally mounted at upper portions for lower portions thereof to swing towards each other for restricting and stopping flow of said exhaust gases through the associated transition section and for said lower portions to swing away from each other for enhancing flow of said exhaust gases through the associated transition section, said swinging of said doors being responsive to exhaust gas pressures in said stations and said manifold, said pairs of doors being caused to swing to a fully closed condition when said exhaust gas pressure in said manifold exceeds the pressure of an associated site by a predetermined amount, and being caused to swing towards a fully open position when a rocket in the associated station is firing.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description5,616 words

Summary1,854 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to the field of controlled flow, exhaust manifold systems and, more particularly, to apparatus for controlling the flow of exhaust gases between a plurality of rocket stations and a common exhaust gas manifold or plenum tube connected thereto.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

Brief description of the drawings9 figures

#A better understanding of the present invention may be had from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the rocket exhaust flow control apparatus, showing the flow control doors counterbalanced to a fully closed condition;

#FIG. 2 is a vertical schematic view, showing three launch stations connected to a common exhaust manifold, and also showing two different rocket firing conditions;

Detailed description3,519 words

#Referring to FIG. 1, and described briefly, a rocket storage or launch station or site 10 comprises a chamber 20, which contains a rocket 22, an exhaust gas flow transition section or duct 26 and an exhaust manifold or plenum tube 28, the transition section 26 interconnecting the chamber 20 and the manifold 28. Considered together, the rocket 22 and the chamber 20 function, when the rocket engine is fired, as a source of a high velocity, pressurized fluid--specifically, rocket exhaust gases.

#The chamber 20, which is merely representative of any type of rocket storage compartment, launch tube, test firing stand or the like, may be closed or open at the top and sides. Within the chamber 20, the rocket 22 is supported in a conventional manner (not shown), and need not be positioned along, or even exactly parallel to, the chamber axis. At the bottom of the chamber 20 an outlet opening 30 permits exhaust gases from the rocket 22, when fired, to flow into the transition section 26. Flow control means 32 are disposed in the transition section 26 to control flow of exhaust gases therethrough, as more particularly described below.

#An inlet opening 34 is provided into an upper portion of the manifold 28 from the bottom of the transition section 26. The manifold 28 and manifold inlet openings 34 are disposed a sufficient distance below the level of the chamber outlet opening 30 to allow the flow control means to be disposed in normally vertical portions of the transition sections 26, for reasons to become apparent. The chamber 20 need not, however, be vertically disposed above the manifold, as is shown in the accompanying drawings; the chamber 20 may alternatively be inclined at substantially any angle from the vertical, the transition section having suitably angulated portions to effect the interconnecting.

Facts

Application

05/617,337Filed 29 Sep 1975

Granted

30 Aug 1977

Term ended

30 Aug 1994

Estimated · how

Pre-1995 term; greater of 17 years from grant or 20 years from filing when eligible. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification2 codes

F41F 3/0413
For rockets: means for exhaust gas disposal, e.g. exhaust deflectors, gas evacuation systems
F41F
Apparatus for launching projectiles or missiles from barrels

Rocket exhaust plenum flow control apparatus

Life of this patent

Rocket exhaust plenum flow control apparatus

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims30

Description5,616 words

Drawings

Classification2 codes

Life of this patent

Description5,616 words