Gel/solid bipropellant propulsion system with energy management capability

A method of operating a gel/solid bipropellant propulsion system having energy management capability including start and re-start functions, said gel/solid bipropellant propulsion system comprising in combination:

• A. a solid fuel-gas generator system for generating fuel-rich combustion effluent for pressurizing said gel/solid bipropellant propulsion system and for use as fuel in a hypergolic combustion reaction with a gelled oxidizer, said solid gas generator system comprising:
• a. a solid fuel-gas generator composition comprising a glycidyl azide polymer diol and/or triol polymerized with a di- or tri-functional isocyanate contained within a solid fuel-gases generator containment vessel, said solid fuel-gas generator composition being capable of being ignited by an igniter or by a hypergolic oxidizer composition;
• b. a solid fuel-gas generator containment vessel containing said solid fuel-gas generator composition therein, said solid fuel-gas generator containment vessel having a plurality of openings for receiving piping means which function as a third entry port for an igniter for the initial ignition of said solid fuel-gas generator composition, a first and second discharge port for discharging fuel rich combustion effluent, and a fourth port for receiving a reignition oxidizer injector;
• c. a first discharge port including connected piping means for discharging said fuel-rich combustion effluent through said piping means into a combustion chamber system, said piping means provided with a fuel-rich combustion effluent supply/flow piping means pressure gauge with data monitoring by a system controller, said piping means provided with a shut-off valve operated by a system controller, sand said piping means extending from said fuel-rich combustion effluent shut-off valve and communicating with a fuel-rich combustion effluent metering valve, throttled by a system controller;
• d. a second discharge port including connected piping means for said fuel-rich combustion effluent which functions to pressurize said piping means connecting said solid fuel-gas generator containment vessel to an oxidizer storage/extrusion vessel, said connected piping means in communication with a pressure relief valve and a shut-off valve responsive to a system controller;
• e. a third port for receiving said igniter, activated by a system controller;
• and,
• f. a fourth port for receiving a reignition oxidizer injector;
• B. an oxidizer storage/extrusion vessel system containing a gelled oxidizer of inhibited red fuming nitric acid within said oxidizer storage/extrusion vessel, said oxidizer storage/extrusion system comprising:
• a. an oxidizer storage/extrusion vessel having an inlet and an outlet port, said inlet and outlet port adapted for receiving and containing a low pressure rupture disk therein;
• b. an extrusion means installed within said oxidizer storage/extrusion vessel for expelling or extruding a gelled oxidizer from said oxidizer storage/extrusion vessel;
• c. a first piping means connected to said outlet port for discharging said oxidizer gel into a combustion chamber, said first piping means extending to and communicating with an oxidizer gel metering valve, throttled by a system controller, said first piping means provided with an oxidizer gel supply/flow pressure gauge with data monitoring means connected to a system controller, said first piping means additionally provided with an oxidizer gel shut-off valve between said oxidizer gel supply/flow pressure gauge and said oxidizer gel metering valve supplying said oxidizer gel to a vortex injector for said combustion chamber, said oxidizer gel shut-off valve operated by a system controller;
• d. a second piping means between said outlet port and said oxidizer gel shut-off valve, said second piping means extending to and communicating with said fourth port of said solid gas generator vessel, said second piping means provided with a reignition shut off valve, operated by a system controller;
• and,
• e. a reignition oxidizer gel injector installed in said fourth port of said solid fuel-gas generator containment vessel, said reignition oxidizer gel injector provided with piping means communicating with said reignition shut-off valve;
• C. an engine comprising in combination:
• a. a combustion chamber adapted for containing a hypergolic reaction between fuel-rich combustion effluent and an oxidizer gel;
• b. a fuel-rich combustion effluent vortex injector in communication with said combustion chamber and connected to said fuel-rich combustion effluent metering valve and said piping means for discharging said fuel-rich combustion effluent into said combustion chamber;
• c. an oxidizer gel vortex injector in communication with said combustion chamber and connected to said oxidizer gel metering valve and said first piping means for discharging said oxidizer gel into said combustion chamber;
• and,
• d. an exhaust nozzle connected to said combustion chamber for exhausting exhaust products produced in said combustion chamber from hypergolic reaction between said fuel-rich combustion effluent and said oxidizer gel;
• and,
• D. a system controller for controlling said gel/solid bipropellant propulsion system comprising:
• a. an igniter including means operated by said system controller for activating said igniter for initially igniting said solid fuel-gas generator;
• b. means operated by said system controller for monitoring said oxidizer gel supply/flow line pressure gauge;
• c. means connected to said system controller for monitoring said fuel-rich combustion effluent supply/flow line pressure gauge;
• d. control means connected to said system controller for opening and closing a blow-down shut-off valve for reducing pressure in said solid fuel-gas generator containment vessel to extinguish combustion of said solid fuel-gas generator composition;
• e. control means connected to said system controller for opening and closing said reignition shut-off valve;
• f. control means connected to said system controller for opening and closing said shut off valve in said piping means connecting said solid fuel-gas generator containment vessel and said oxidizer storage/extrusion vessel;
• g. control means connected to said system controller for opening and closing said oxidizer gel shut-off valve in said first piping means connecting said outlet port and said oxidizer gel metering valve;
• h. throttling means connected to said system controller for controlling the discharging of said oxidizer gel through said oxidizer gel metering valve into said combustion chamber;
• i. control means connected to said system controller for opening and closing said fuel rich combustion effluent shut-off valve in said piping means connecting said first discharge port and said fuel-rich combustion effluent metering valve;
• i. throttling means connected to said system controller for controlling the discharging of said fuel-rich combustion effluent through said fuel rich combustion effluent metering valve into said combustion chamber;
• k. monitoring means connected to said system controller for controlling the discharging of said fuel-rich combustion effluent and said oxidizer gel into said combustion chamber;
• and,
• said method of operating the gel/solid bipropellant propulsion system wherein said start function is achieved by the step of igniting said solid fuel-gas generator composition with said igniter activated by said system controller, said igniter igniting said solid fuel-gas generator composition to generate said fuel-rich combustion effluent for fuel and for pressurizing said gel/solid bipropellant propulsion system to extrude said oxidizer gel which is subsequently injected through said oxidizer gel vortex injector into said combustion chamber system for hypergolic reaction with said fuel-rich combustion effluent which is simultaneously injected through said fuel-rich combustion effluent vortex injector.