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US 5,582,001 AGranted
Hybrid rocket combustion enhancement
OwnerMichael D. Bradford, Roy J. Kniffen, Jr. +1inventors
InventorsMichael D. Bradford, Roy J. Kniffen, Jr., Bevin C. McKinney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The combustion of a hybrid engine is improved by continuously injecting into a precombustion chamber a hypergolic fluid such as triethyl aluminum which exothermically reacts with and vaporizes the oxidizer such as liquid oxygen. The prevaporized oxidizer evenly combusts the solid propellant grain to develop thrust.
Claims19
A method of enhancing the combustion of a hybrid rocket comprising the steps of:
- injecting liquid oxidizer into the precombustion chamber of a hybrid rocket engine;
- adding to the injected oxidizer a second liquid exothermally reactive with the oxidizer in an amount sufficient to vaporize substantially all of said oxidizer within said chamber;
- exothermally reacting said oxidizer and liquid to form a gas containing vaporized oxidizer;
- flowing said gas adjacent the surface of a solid propellant grain;
- and
- reacting the oxidizer and surface of the grain to produce combustion gas;
- and
- expelling the combustion gases from the engine to develop thrust.
5 more elements
A hybrid rocket engine comprising in combination:
- a motor casing having an aft end and a fore end;
- a hollow-solid propellant grain attached to the casing defining a combustion zone;
- a nozzle attached to the aft end of the casing;
- a closure member attached to the fore end of the casing defining a precombustion chamber;
- first means for injecting liquid oxidizer into the precombustion chamber;
- and
- second means for injecting into the precombustion chamber throughout the combustion of the grain a second fluid exothermically reactive with the liquid oxidizer.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.