Method for making and storing cryogenic monopropellant
AssigneeCryoco, Inc.
InventorThomas M. Flynn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and assembly for manufacturing and storing a cryogenic monopropellant, such as cryogenic mixtures of liquid methane and liquid oxygen, and the components thereof. A fuel, such as liquid methane, is manufactured and stored safely and effectively without venting any methane vapors. Liquid methane and liquid oxygen are manufactured such that these components are mixed at thermal equilibrium thereby preventing the formation of vapors in the liquid phase. In this manner, the mixture can be safely stored and used.
Claims27
A method of manufacturing a cryogenic monopropellant comprising:
- providing a fuel as a single phase, subcooled liquid, at a first temperature;
- providing an oxidant as a single phase, subcooled liquid, at a second temperature substantially equal to or below the first temperature;
- and
- mixing the fuel and the oxidant while inhibiting formation of a vapor phase in the fuel, in the oxidant, or in a mixture of the fuel and oxidant to form a single phase, liquid cryogenic monopropellant.
A method of manufacturing a cryogenic monopropellant comprising:
- providing a fuel as a single phase, subcooled liquid;
- providing an oxidant as a single phase, subcooled liquid;
- mixing the fuel and the oxidant;
- and
- maintaining a temperature of the fuel and of the oxidant during the mixing step, below a boiling point of the fuel and below a boiling point of the oxidant to form a single phase, liquid cryogenic monopropellant.
A method of manufacturing a cryogenic monopropellant comprising:
- providing gaseous methane;
- forming single phase, subcooled liquid methane by cooling the gaseous methane to a first temperature below a boiling point of methane;
- providing single phase, subcooled liquid oxygen at a second temperature substantially equal to or below the first temperature;
- and
- mixing the subcooled liquid methane and the subcooled liquid oxygen at a third temperature substantially equal to or below the second temperature to inhibit formation of vapor phase methane or vapor phase oxygen, and form the monopropellant as a single phase liquid.
A method of manufacturing a cryogenic monopropellant comprising:
- providing gaseous methane;
- providing a first container having liquid nitrogen or liquid oxygen therein;
- injecting the gaseous methane into a second container submerged in the liquid nitrogen or the liquid oxygen to form liquid methane within the second container;
- transferring the liquid methane from the second container to a third container containing subcooled liquid oxygen at a temperature substantially equal to or below a boiling point of the liquid methane;
- and
- mixing the liquid methane and the subcooled liquid oxygen in the third container to form the monopropellant as a single phase liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.