Submarine steam generator missile ejection system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorJohn H. Pelto
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steam generator missile ejection system has a vessel that contains water that becomes the pressurized steam source for missile ejection. A heating system within the vessel heats the water to steam and to the desired launch pressure. The heater is controlled to sequence operation and heat generation with a command from a controller shortly before initiation of a firing valve. A valve controls piping from the vessel to direct steam to a piping header and onto the ejection chamber of a launch tube. This event provides the launch pulse required to eject the payload from the missile tube. The launch energy requirements can be modulated by varying the pre-launch temperature of the water in the pressure vessel and can be controlled by an opening rate and length of open duration of the valve.
Claims12
A system for missile ejection, said system comprising:
- a piping header;
- a pressure vessel fluidly connected to said piping header, said pressure vessel capable of containing pressurized water and steam;
- a first stage heater positioned within and at a first end of said pressure vessel, said first stage heater capable of heating the pressurized water;
- a second stage heater positioned within and at a second end of said pressure vessel, said second stage heater capable of heating the pressurized water to steam;
- and
- a firing valve fluidly connected to said pressure vessel and said piping header;
- wherein steam generated within said pressure vessel is controllable by said firing valve to transmit by said piping header to provide launching power for the missile ejection.
A method for missile ejection, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a pressure vessel with a first stage heater and a second stage heater and a firing valve fluidly connected to the pressure vessel and an ejection system header;
- initiating an opening of the firing valve;
- and
- ejecting pressurized steam from the pressure vessel via the firing valve to launch the missile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.