ROCKET MOTOR AND METHOD

• US 3,677,010 A
• Filed: 03/11/1964
• Issued: 07/18/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1964
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eugene J. Palm, Robert H. Fink
• Original Assignee: Eugene J. Palm, Robert H. Fink
• Inventors: Fink, Robert H., Palm, Eugene J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Padgett, Benjamin R.
• Application Number:
  US04/351,256
• Time in Patent Office: 3,051 Days
• Field of Search: 149/2,17-19 102/98,103 60/35.4,207,219,220,250,251,253
• US Class Current: 60/220
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/14 made from sheet-like materials, e.g. of carpet-roll type, of layered structure
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/34 Casings; Combustion chambers; Liners thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/72 using liquid and solid propellants, i.e. hybrid rocket-engine plants
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/94 Re-ignitable or restartable rocket- engine plants; Intermittently operated rocket-engine plants
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/95 characterised by starting or ignition means or arrangements safety devices F02K9/38

Abstract

7. The method of operating a solid-fueled rocket motor to vary the total impulse achieved, said motor comprising, in combination, a substantially cylindrical outside wall which forms a chamber, said wall being tapered at the rearward end of said chamber to form a converging-diverging nozzle, said wall also closing the forward end of said chamber except for an opening to receive a tube whereby fluid can be introduced into said chamber; a solid rocket propellant grain rigidly disposed in said chamber, said grain comprising a plurality of concentric layers of propellant, the propellant layer nearest the center of the grain having disposed therein a perforation passing from end to end therethrough along the center axis of said grain, said layers consisting essentially of a cured intimate mixture of polymeric binder, fuel particles, and an oxidizer therefor, said layers being completely separated from each other by a liner, said liner consisting essentially of a cured polymeric material incapable of supporting its own combustion, said method comprising: A. IGNITING AND BURNING THE INNERMOST LAYER OF PROPELLANT, THEREBY EXPOSING THE ADJACENT LINER; B. INTRODUCING INTO THE FORWARD END OF SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID OPENING AN OXIDIZER FLUID WHICH IS HYPERGOLIC WITH SAID LINER WHEREBY THE LINER IGNITES, BURNS, AND IN TURN IGNITES THE ADJACENT LAYER OF PROPELLANT; AND C. REPEATING STEPS (A) AND (B) UNTIL AS MANY PROPELLANT LAYERS AS DESIRED HAVE BEEN CONSUMED.

Claims

1. A solid-fueled rocket propellant grain, said grain comprising in combination:

a. a plurality of concentric layers of propellant, the propellant layer nearest the center of the grain having disposed therein a perforation passing from end to end therethrough along the center axis of said grain, said propellant layers consisting essentially of a cured, intimate mixture of a polymeric binder, fuel particles, and an oxidizer therefor; and

b. a liner disposed between each of said layers in rigid relationship therewith to completely separate the adjacent surfaces of said layers from each other, said liner consisting essentially of a cured polymeric material incapable of supporting its own combustion.

2. The solid rocket propellant grain according to claim 1 wherein said liner is up to about 0.75 inch in thickness.

3. A solid rocket propellant grain according to claim 2 wherein said liner is a member selected from the group consisting of the polydienes, the polysulfides, the polyepoxides, polyurethanes, polylactams, polystyrenes, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, and polybutylenes.

4. A solid-fueled rocket motor, said motor comprising in combination:

a. a substantially cylindrical outside wall which forms a chamber, said wall being tapered at the rearward end of said chamber to form a converging-diverging nozzle, said wall also closing the forward end of chamber except for an opening in communication with said chamber to receive a tube whereby fluid can be introduced into said chamber; and

b. a solid rocket propellant grain rigidly disposed in said chamber, said grain comprising a plurality of concentric layers of propellant, the propellant layer nearest the center of the grain having disposed therein a perforation passing from end to end therethrough along the center axis of said grain, said propellant layers consisting essentially of a cured intimate mixture of a polymeric binder, fuel particles, and an oxidizer therefor, said layers being completely separated from each other by a liner, said liner consisting essentially of a cured polymeric material incapable of supporting its own combustion.

5. The solid-fueled rocket motor according to claim 4 wherein said liner is up to about 0.75 inch in thickness.

6. The solid-fueled rocket motor according to claim 5 wherein said liner is a member selected from the group consisting of the polydienes, the polysulfides, the polyepoxides, polyurethanes, polylactams, polystyrenes, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, and polybutylenes.

7. THE METHOD OF OPERATING A SOLID-FUELED ROCKET MOTOR TO VARY THE TOTAL IMPULSE ACHIEVED, SAID MOTOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL OUTSIDE WALL WHICH FORMS A CHAMBER, SAID WALL BEING TAPERED AT THE REARWARD END OF SAID CHAMBER TO FORM A CONVERGING-DIVERGING NOZZLE, SAID WALL ALSO CLOSING THE FORWARD END OF SAID CHAMBER EXCEPT FOR AN OPENING TO RECEIVE A TUBE WHEREBY FLUID CAN BE INTRODUCED INTO SAID CHAMBER;

A SOLID ROCKET PROPELLANT GRAIN RIGIDLY DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID GRAIN COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF CONCENTRIC LAYERS OF PROPELLANT LAYER NEAREST THE CENTER OF THE GRAIN HAVING DISPOSED THEREIN A PERFOROATION PASSING FROM END TO END THERETHROUGH ALONG THE CENTER AXIS OF SAID GRAIN, SAID LAYERS CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A CURED INTIMATE MIXTURE OF POLYMERIC BINDER, FUEL PARTICLES, AND AN OXIDIZER THEREOF, SAID LAYERS BEING COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER BY A LINER, SAID LINER CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A CURED POLYMERIC MATERIAL INCAPABLE OF SUPPORTING ITS OWN COMBUSTION, SAID METHOD COMPRISING;

A. IGNITING AND BURING THE INNERMOST LAYER OF PROPELLANT, THEEBY EXPOSING THE ADJACENT LINER;

B. INTRODUCING INTO THE FORWARD END OF SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID OPENING AN OXIDIZER FLUID WHICH IS HYPERGOLIC WITH SAID LINER WHEREBY THE LINER IGNITES, BURNS, AND IN TURN IGNITES THE ADJACENT LAYER OF PROPELLANT;

AND C. REPEATING STEPS (A) AND (B) UNTIL AS MANY PROPELLANT LAYERS AS DESIRED HAVE BEEN CONSUMED.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said liner is up to about 0.75 inch in thickness.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said liner is a member selected from the group consisting of the polydienes, the polysulfides, the polyepoxides, polyurethanes, polylactams, polystyrenes, polyethylenes, polypropylenes, and polybutylenes.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said fluid oxidizer is a member selected from the group consisting of red fuming nitric acid, fluorine, chlorine trifluoride, perhalogenyl fluoride-halogen fluoride mixtures, perhalogenyl fluoride-fluorine mixtures, and perhalogenyl fluoride-chloryl fluoride mixtures.