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US 6,178,739 B2Granted
Monopropellant assisted solid rocket engine
AssigneeIowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
InventorMichael J. Carden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A monopropellant assisted solid rocket engine of the present invention is comprised of a combination of a solid rocket engine with nitromethane monopropellant injected into the rocket motor. By controlling the rate at which the monopropellant is injected the thrust of the rocket engine can be controlled.
Claims17
A method of operating a rocket engine comprising the steps of:
- providing a solid fuel rocket engine having a combustion chamber and a nozzle;
- placing solid rocket fuel within the combustion chamber;
- igniting the solid rocket fuel;
- and
- injecting a monopropellant into the combustion chamber with the ignited solid fuel.
2 more elements
A method of operating a rocket engine comprising the steps of:
- providing a solid fuel rocket engine having a combustion chamber and a nozzle;
- placing solid rocket fuel within the combustion chamber;
- igniting the solid rocket fuel;
- and
- injecting a monopropellant into the combustion chamber wherein the monopropellant injected into the combustion chamber is comprised of nitromethane.
2 more elements
A method of enhancing the operating a solid fuel rocket engine comprising the steps of:
- providing a solid fuel rocket engine having a combustion chamber, a nozzle, and a quantity of solid rocket fuel disposed within the combustion chamber;
- providing a source of nitromethane;
- igniting the solid rocket fuel;
- and
- injecting the nitromethane into the combustion chamber to enhance the operation of the solid fuel rocket engine.
2 more elements
A rocket engine comprising:
- a combustion chamber;
- a nozzle in communication with the combustion chamber;
- a quantity of solid rocket fuel disposed within the combustion chamber;
- a conical spray injector in communication with the combustion chamber for injecting a liquid fuel into the combustion chamber;
- and
- a source of monopropellant connected to the conical spray injector, wherein the injector is adapted to inject the monopropellant into the combustion chamber while the solid rocket fuel is burning to augment the performance of the rocket engine.
3 more elements
A rocket engine comprising;
- a combustion chamber;
- a nozzle in communication with the combustion chamber;
- a quantity of solid rocket fuel disposed within the combustion chamber;
- a conical spray injection in communication with the combustion chamber for injecting a liquid fuel into the combustion chamber;
- and a source of monopropellant connected to the conical spray infector, wherein the infector is adapted to infect the monopropellant into the combustion chamber while the solid rocket fuel is burning to augment the performance of the rocket engine wherein the monopropellant is comprised of nitromethane.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.