HYPERGOLIC HYBRID MOTOR IGNITER

• US 20130255223A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aerospace Corporation
• Original Assignee: Aerospace Corporation
• Inventors: Brady, Brian Blaise, Desain, John D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,273,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/225
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/72 using liquid and solid propellants, i.e. hybrid rocket-engine plants

Abstract

An apparatus for igniting a larger rocket motor is provided. The apparatus may be a smaller rocket motor that can be ignited hypergolically, when a pressurized oxidizer contacts hypergolic fuel grains of the smaller rocket motor. The hypergolic ignition causes the larger rocket motor to be ignited. The hypergolic ignition of the smaller rocket motor may be stopped after the larger rocket motor is ignited, and the remaining hypergolic fuel grains and the pressurized oxidizer can be reserved for reigniting the larger rocket motor at a later time.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

hypergolic fuel grains configured to form a chamber; and

an oxidizer valve configured to allow a pressurized oxidizer to enter the chamber, wherein the hypergolic fuel grains are configured to cause an ignition of a larger rocket motor upon contact with the pressurized oxidizer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hypergolic fuel grains comprise paraffin wax, low-density polyethylene, or both.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the paraffin wax, the low density polyethylene, or both, comprise one or more of lithium aluminum hydride or similar metal hydrides, triethyl aluminum, disobutyl aluminum hydride, sodium bis aluminum hydride, or triethyl borane.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressurized oxidizer comprises one or more of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, red fuming nitric acid, hydrogen peroxide or inhibited red fuming nitric acid or similar acid.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the inhibited red fuming nitric acid comprises a helium oxygen blow down tank.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the inhibited red fuming nitric acid comprises a heater.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the oxidizer valve is closed, a flow of the pressurized oxidizer is prevented from entering the chamber such that the hypergolic fuel grains are prevented from producing a flame to ignite the larger rocket motor.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, when the oxidizer valve is opened during initial operation or during subsequent operation of the apparatus, the pressurized oxidizer flows into the chamber and the hypergolic fuel grains are further configured to produce, upon contact with the pressurized oxidizer, a flame to ignite or reignite the larger rocket motor.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a first rocket motor comprising hypergolic fuel grains; and

a second rocket motor operatively connected to the first rocket motor, wherein the first rocket motor is configured to ignite, and reignite at a later time, the second rocket motor.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first rocket motor further comprises a valve.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein, when the valve is opened, a pressurized oxidizer enters a chamber formed by the hypergolic fuel grains.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the hypergolic fuel grains are configured to generate a flame to ignite the second rocket motor when the pressurized oxidizer contacts the hypergolic fuel grains.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, when the valve is closed, the pressurized oxidizer is prevented from contacting the hypergolic fuel grains such that the flame of the first rocket motor is extinguished.

14. A hybrid rocket motor, comprising:

hypergolic fuel grains configured to form a chamber and operatively connected to a chamber of a larger rocket motor,

wherein the hypergolic fuel grains are configured to ignite the larger rocket motor when a pressurized oxidizer is released into the chamber formed by the hypergolic fuel grains.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

pressurized oxidizer storage comprising the pressurized oxidizer,

wherein the pressurized oxidizer comprises one or more of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, red fuming nitric acid, or inhibited red fuming nitric acid.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:

a valve configured to allow the pressurized oxidizer to be released into the chamber.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein, when the valve is open, the pressurized oxidizer is released into the chamber, and upon contact with the hypergolic fuel grains, the hypergolic fuel grains produce a flame in the chamber of the larger rocket motor to ignite the larger rocket motor.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein, when the valve is closed after a predetermined period of time, the pressurized oxidizer is prevented from contacting the hypergolic fuel grains such that the flame is extinguished.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the hypergolic fuel grains comprise paraffin wax comprising one or more of the following:

lithium aluminum hydride or similar metal hydrides, triethyl aluminum, disobutyl aluminum hydride, sodium bis aluminum hydride, and triethyl borane

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the hypergolic fuel grains comprise low density polyethylene with one or more of the following:

lithium aluminum hydride or similar metal hydrides, triethyl aluminum, disobutyl aluminum hydride, sodium bis aluminum hydride, and triethyl borane.