Reactor for ammonium dinitramide-based liquid mono-propellants, and thruster including the reactor

A rocket engine for an ammonium dinitramide-based liquid monopropellant, the rocket engine comprising:

• a reactor including:
• a hollow body of a thermally conductive, heat resistant metallic material provided with, from the upstream end:
• an injector;
• a heat bed;
• a heat bed retainer including a perforated plate and a plurality of flanges extending from the perforated plate in an axial direction towards the upstream end of the hollow body into the heat bed and/or towards a downstream end of the hollow body into a catalyst bed;
• the catalyst bed of porous catalyst pellets which are heat resistant up to a temperature of at least 1000° C.;
• and
• a catalyst bed retainer,
• wherein the heat bed comprises a heat bed material exhibiting catalytic activity, which material is formed from non-porous or low-porous high-temperature-resistant ceramic and/or metallic materials, coated with a catalytically active noble metal;
• and
• a combustion chamber immediately downstream of the reactor.

A method for decomposition of a liquid, HAN-based monopropellant into hot, combustible gases, with a reactor including a hollow body of a thermally conductive, heat resistant metallic material provided with, from the upstream end:

• an injector;
• a heat bed;
• a heat bed retainer including a perforated plate and a plurality of flanges extending from the perforated plate in an axial direction towards the upstream end of the hollow body into the heat bed and/or towards a downstream end of the hollow body into a catalyst bed;
• the catalyst bed of porous catalyst pellets which are heat resistant up to a temperature of at least 1000° C.;
• and
• a catalyst bed retainer,
• the method comprising:
• flowing the liquid, HAN-based monopropellant through the injector such that the heat bed vaporizes the liquid, HAN-based monopropellant, the heat bed including a heat bed material exhibiting catalytic activity, the heat bed material formed from non-porous or low-porous high-temperature-resistant ceramic and/or metallic material, coated with a catalytically active noble metal;
• and
• transferring heat by extending the plurality of flanges of the heat bed retainer upstream into the heat bed and/or downstream into the catalyst bed.

A method for decomposition of a liquid, HAN-based monopropellant into hot, combustible gases, with a rocket engine for an ammonium dinitramide-based liquid monopropellant, the rocket including:

• a reactor including:
• a hollow body of a thermally conductive, heat resistant metallic material provided with, from the upstream end:
• an injector;
• a heat bed;
• a heat bed retainer including a perforated plate and a plurality of flanges extending from the perforated plate in an axial direction towards the upstream end of the hollow body into the heat bed and/or towards a downstream end of the hollow body into a catalyst bed;
• the catalyst bed of porous catalyst pellets which are heat resistant up to a temperature of at least 1000° C.;
• and
• a catalyst bed retainer, and
• immediately downstream of the reactor a combustion chamber,
• the method comprising:
• flowing the liquid, HAN-based monopropellant through the injector such that the heat bed vaporizes the liquid, HAN-based monopropellant, the heat bed including a heat bed material exhibiting catalytic activity, the heat bed material formed from non-porous or low-porous high-temperature-resistant ceramic and/or metallic materials, coated with a catalytically active noble metal;
• and
• transferring heat by extending the plurality of flanges of the heat bed retainer upstream into the heat bed and/or downstream into the catalyst bed.