Propellant tank pressurization system

• US 3,170,295 A
• Filed: 04/09/1963
• Issued: 02/23/1965
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1963
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hugh L. Dryden
• Original Assignee: Hugh L. Dryden
• Inventors: Dryden, Hugh L.
• Application Number:
  US04/271,823
• Time in Patent Office: 686 Days
• US Class Current: 60/39.48
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/44 Feeding propellants

Claims

5. IN A PROPULSION SYSTEM A CONSTRUCTION FOR PRESSURIZING PROPELLANT TANKS WHEREIN ONE OF SAID TANKS CONTAINS FUEL AND ONE OF SAID TANKS CONTAINS OXIDIZER, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING:

FIRST AND SECOND PROPELLANT PUMPS;

DUCT MEANS CONNECTING SAID OXIDIZER TANK TO THE INLET OF SAID FIRST PROPELLANT PUMP;

DUCT MEANS CONNECTING SAID FUEL TANK TO THE INLET OF SAID SECOND PROPELLANT PUMP;

A TURBINE CONNECTED TO DRIVE SAID PROPELLANT PUMPS;

A GAS GENERATOR;

INDIVIDUAL DUCT MEANS CONNECTING THE OUTLETS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PROPELLANT PUMPS TO THE INLET OF SAID GAS GENERATOR;

VALVE MEANS TO ADJUST THE FEEDS OF SAID OXIDIZER AND SAID FUEL TO SAID GAS GENERATOR TO PROVIDE A FUEL-RICH MIXTURE;

DUCT MEANS CONNECTING THE OUTLET OF SAID GAS GENERATOR TO SAID TURBINE TO FEED COMBUSTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID GAS GENERATOR TO SAID TURBINE;

HEAT TRANSFER MEANS;

BLEED DUCT MEANS TO FEED OXIDIZER FROM SAID FIRST PROPELLANT PUMP TO SAID HEAT TRANSFER MEANS;

BLEED DUCT MEANS UPSTREAM OF SAID TURBINE TO FEED HOT COMBUSTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID GAS GENERATOR TO SAID HEAT TRANSFER MEANS;

MEANS TO ADJUST THE FEEDS OF SAID OXIDIZER AND HOT COMBUSTION PRODUCTS TO SAID HEAT TRANSFER MEANS IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO VAPORIZE SAID OXIDIZER AND LOWER THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID HOT COMBUSTION PRODUCTS;

DUCT MEANS TO FEED VAPORIZED OXIDIZER FROM SAID HEAT TRANSFER MEANS TO SAID OXIDIZER PROPELLANT TANK TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE IN SAID TANK;

AND DUCT MEANS TO FEED SAID COMBUSTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID HEAT TRANSFER MEAND TO SAID FUEL TANK TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE IN SAID FUEL TANK.