Fluid supply systems
First Claim
1. A fluid supply system comprising a chamber having a portion for containing a working fluid, a portion for containing a gas for pressurizing the working fluid, a movable partition separating the fluid portion from the gas portion of the chamber, an inlet for the gas and an outlet for the working fluid, a member operable to close the inlet and carrying solid propellant charge means, and ignition control means for the solid propellant charge means, characterized in that the solid propellant charge means comprise a plurality of individual charges, and in that the ignition control means is operable to ignite each charge as and when required to produce a pressurized gas which enters the gas portion of the chamber and moves the partition in the chamber to pressurize the working fluid and expel the same through the outlet, the ignition control means comprising pulse generating means, counter means responsive to the output of the pulse generating means, gate means responsive to the output of the counter means, and ignition circuits responsive to the respective outputs of the gate means, whereby the solid propellant charges are ignited serially.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a fluid supply system and seeks to provide a simpler, safer but reliable system than at present known. The fluid supply system comprises a multi-charge solid propellant gas generator and a fluid explusion unit integrated into a single unit, the gas generator being provided in a cap (8) for a chamber (1) having a gas portion (3) and a fluid portion (2) and a movable partition (4) between these two portions operable to expel fluid from the chamber when the gas generator is rendered operative. The system also comprises ignition control means (22) operable to control the ignition of the solid propellant charges (13) when required to give a fully controllable system output.
The system can be designed for supplying under pressure fluids such as hydraulic oil, fuels, oxidents and water and is particularly useful in aerospace applications.
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Citations
29 Claims
- 1. A fluid supply system comprising a chamber having a portion for containing a working fluid, a portion for containing a gas for pressurizing the working fluid, a movable partition separating the fluid portion from the gas portion of the chamber, an inlet for the gas and an outlet for the working fluid, a member operable to close the inlet and carrying solid propellant charge means, and ignition control means for the solid propellant charge means, characterized in that the solid propellant charge means comprise a plurality of individual charges, and in that the ignition control means is operable to ignite each charge as and when required to produce a pressurized gas which enters the gas portion of the chamber and moves the partition in the chamber to pressurize the working fluid and expel the same through the outlet, the ignition control means comprising pulse generating means, counter means responsive to the output of the pulse generating means, gate means responsive to the output of the counter means, and ignition circuits responsive to the respective outputs of the gate means, whereby the solid propellant charges are ignited serially.
- 13. A fluid supply system comprising a chamber having a portion for containing a working fluid, a portion for containing a gas for pressurising the working fluid, a movable partition separating the fluid portion from the gas portion of the chamber, an inlet for the gas and an outlet for the working fluid, the inlet being closable by a member carrying a plurality solid propellant charges, the system further comprising ignition control means for the solid propellant charges and being such that in operation a charge is ignited to produce a pressurised gas which enters the gas portion of the chamber and moves the partition in the chamber to pressurise the working fluid and expel the same through the chamber outlet, each charge being ignited as and when required.
Specification