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US 6,148,609 AGranted
Turbo-rocket thruster
OwnerAnthony Italo Provitolainventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A turbo-rocket thruster is disclosed in which the turbine compressor is used to intake and compress a gaseous fuel for combustion with a stored oxidizer injected into the compressed gaseous fuel stream. The compressor stage is driven by the turbine stage, which is driven by burning gaseous fuel passing across the turbine blades. The burned gases are then expanded through an exhaust nozzle and thereby ejected to produce reaction thrust.
Claims20
A gaseous-fuel breathing, stored-oxidizer turbo-rocket thruster comprising:
- (a) a gas duct defining a gaseous-fuel intake;
- (b) a source of gaseous fuel;
- (c) a source of stored oxidizer;
- (d) a compressor means for compressing gaseous fuel, the compressor means being disposed axially within the gas duct;
- (e) injector means to inject oxidizer into the compressed gaseous fuel so that the oxidizer mixes with the compressed gaseous fuel;
- (f) a turbine means operatively associated with the compressor means to drive the compressor means, the turbine means being disposed axially within the gas duct, wherein the turbine means is driven by the gaseous fuel burning with the oxidizer;
- and
- (g) a nozzle means operatively associated with the gas duct to exhaust gasses from the gas duct.
5 more elements
A turbo-rocket thruster comprising:
- (a) a gas duct defining a gaseous-fuel intake;
- (b) a source of gaseous fuel;
- (c) a source of stored oxidizer;
- (d) a turbine compressor for compressing gaseous fuel, the turbine compressor being disposed axially within the gas duct;
- (e) one or more injectors to inject oxidizer into the compressed gaseous fuel so that the oxidizer mixes with the compressed gaseous fuel;
- (f) a gas turbine operatively associated with the turbine compressor to drive the turbine compressor, the gas turbine being disposed axially within the gas duct, wherein the gas turbine is driven by the gaseous fuel burning with the oxidizer;
- and
- (g) a nozzle operatively associated with the gas duct to exhaust gasses from the gas duct.
5 more elements
A turbo-rocket thruster comprising:
- (a) a gas duct defining a gaseous-fuel intake;
- (b) a source of gaseous first propellant chemical;
- (c) a source of second propellant chemical;
- (d) a turbine compressor for compressing the gaseous first propellant chemical, the turbine compressor being disposed axially within the gas duct;
- (e) one or more injectors to inject the second propellant chemical into the compressed gaseous first propellant chemical so that the second propellant chemical mixes with the compressed gaseous first propellant chemical;
- (f) a gas turbine operatively associated with the turbine compressor to drive the turbine compressor, the gas turbine being disposed axially within the gas duct, wherein the gas turbine is driven by the gaseous first propellant chemical reacting exothermically with the second propellant chemical;
- and
- (g) a nozzle operatively associated with the gas duct to exhaust gasses from the gas duct.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.