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US 7,621,119 B2Granted
Heat exchange injector for use in a rocket engine
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsWilliam S. Brown, Richard M. Frey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A heat exchange injector assembly includes a heat exchange element comprising a fuel sleeve, a liquid oxidizer post disposed in the fuel sleeve, and a multi-passage swirl member such as a double helix member, disposed in the liquid oxidizer post.
Claims22
A heat exchange injector assembly suitable for use in a rocket engine, the heat exchange injector assembly comprising:
- a liquid oxidizer post extending between a first end and a second end having a length therebetween, and comprising an inner surface and an outer surface;
- an elongate multi-passage swirl element disposed in the liquid oxidizer post adjacent the inner surface and extending a substantial portion of the length of the post between a third end and a fourth end to form a double helical flow passage extending along the multi-passage swirl element and the liquid oxidizer post;
- and
- a fuel sleeve disposed about the outer surface of the liquid oxidizer post and extending between a fifth end and a sixth end to form an annular flow passage extending along the fuel sleeve and the liquid oxidizer post;
- wherein the annular flow passage extends parallel along a length of the double helical flow passage between the third end and the fourth end to facilitate heat transfer between the annular flow passage and the double helical flow passage.
2 more elements
A heat exchange injector assembly suitable for use in a rocket engine, the heat exchange injector assembly comprising:
- a fuel sleeve configured to receive a fuel stream;
- a liquid oxidizer post having a length and configured to receive a liquid oxidizer stream and disposed within the fuel sleeve;
- an elongate means for splitting the liquid oxidizer stream extending a substantial portion of the length of the oxidizer post to promote heat transfer between the fuel stream and the liquid oxidizer stream, wherein the means is disposed within the liquid oxidizer post such that the fuel stream travels parallel along an entire length of the split liquid oxidizer stream and is constructed of a thermally conductive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.