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US 6,267,330 B1Granted
Liquid oxygen downcomer
AssigneeKistler Aerospace Corporation
InventorDavid B. Cochran
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A feedline for transporting propellant from a tank of a launch vehicle to an engine includes a first conduit coupled to the tank, a second conduit coupled to the engine, and a flexible joint connecting the first conduit to the second conduit. The flexible joint provides fluid communication between the first conduit and the second conduit.
Claims21
A launch vehicle, comprising:
- a first tank;
- a second tank having a passageway therethrough, the passageway having a minimum diameter at a first end that increeases to a maximum diameter at a second end;
- an engine;
- and
- a feedline comprising:
- a first conduit coupled to the first tank, the first conduit having a maximum diameter that is less than the passageway minimum diameter, the first conduit passing through the second tank passageway such that there is a gap between the second tank and the first conduit;
- a second conduit coupled to the engine;
- and
- a flexible joint connecting the first conduit to the second conduit to provide fluid communication between the first conduit and the second conduit.
6 more elements
A propellant tank system for a liquid-fueled rocket, the tank system comprising:
- a tank for liquid oxygen having an upper container portion and a downwardly-extending tubular downcomer, the downcomer having a proximal end that is fluidly connected to the container portion and a distal end that is adapted to be fluidly connected to the rocket;
- and
- a fuel tank disposed below the liquid oxygen tank, the fuel tank having at least one vertically oriented passageway having an expanding cross-sectional area and adapted to receive the downcomer therethrough, the fuel tank further comprising a downwardly disposed feedline adapted to fluidly connect the fuel tank to the rocket.
A method for supplying oxidizer and fuel to a rocket engine comprising:
- providing a tank of oxidizer, the oxidizer tank having a downwardly disposed downcomer, above a tank of fuel, the fuel tank having a passageway therethrough having an expanding cross-sectional area that is adapted to receive the downcomer;
- fluidly connecting the distal end of the downcomer from the oxidizer tank to the rocket engine;
- and
- fluidly connecting the fuel tank to the rocket engine.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.