Solid fuel ducted rocket with gel-oxidizer augmentation propulsion
First Claim
1. A solid fuel ducted rocket augmented with gel-oxidizer comprising:
- (i) a rocket motor case having a head-end and an aft end;
(ii) an exhaust nozzle secured to said rocket motor case at the aft-end thereof;
(iii) a combustion zone of a combustion chamber within said rocket motor case and in communication with said exhaust nozzle, said combustion zone being a zone in the combustion chamber wherein fuel and oxidizer are brought together for hypergolic reaction;
(iv) a glycidyl azide polymer solid fuel gas generator installed within said rocket motor case at the head-end thereof, said glycidyl azide polymer after being ignited performing the function of supplying fuel-rich hot gases for further combustion within said rocket motor case in a combustion zone of a combustion chamber;
(v) an igniter for igniting said glycidyl azide polymer;
(vi) a ducted member extending outwardly from said rocket motor case between said aft-end and said head-end thereof and forming an air scoop having an air inlet for directing air scooped from the atmosphere during a low pressure airbreathing sustain stage of a flight into the interior of said rocket motor case for combustion of said fuel-rich hot gases in a combustion zone of a combustion chamber;
(vii) a moveable intake closure mounted within said combustion chamber, said intake closure capable of being opened during a sustain stage of flight to allow air to be scooped into said combustion chamber and said intake closure capable of being closed during a boost or dash stage of flight to minimize drag and to retain higher combustion pressure within said combustion chamber, as compared with said sustain stage of flight, employing said gel-oxidizer for hypergolic reaction with said fuel-rich hot gases;
(viii) a housing structure in a spaced apart relationship from said glycidyl azide polymer within said rocket motor case and extending toward the aft-end of said rocket motor case, said housing structure in said spaced apart relationship defining a combustion zone and one or more conduits for conducting fuel-rich hot gases into said combustion zone for hypergolic reaction with air scooped in during a lower pressure airbreathing sustain stage of propulsion and said housing structure having a storage capability for storing a gel-oxidizer and means for expelling said gel-oxidizer for hypergolic reaction with said fuel-rich hot gases at a much higher pressure during a boost or dash stage of a flight as compared with said sustain stage of a flight;
(ix) a combustion zone of a combustion chamber within said rocket motor case defined by an outer surface of housing structure extending toward said aft-end of said rocket motor case, said combustion zone being a zone of a combustion chamber for hypergolic reaction during said sustain, boost, and dash stages of flight with said fuel-rich hot gases, to produce combustion gases for exhausting through said exhaust nozzle to produce thrust; and
,(x) a fuel insulation layer installed on an internal surface of said rocket motor case, said fuel insulating layer performing a dual function of insulating said rocket motor case and supplying gaseous combustible products for combustion within said combustion zone of said combustion chamber.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A propulsion system is disclosed comprising a glycidyl azide polymer (GAP)olid fuel generator (SFGG) that produces fuel-rich hot gases which are combusted in a combustion zone of a combustion chamber of a solid fuel ducted rocket. A basic embodiment comprises an airbreathing engine wherein a ducted member scoops air in from the atmosphere for hypergolic reaction with the fuel-rich hot gases for propulsion during a sustain stage of a flight. An augmentation of the basic embodiment is achieved by combusting the fuel-rich GAP SFGG effluent with inhibited red fuming nitric acid (IRFNA) gel oxidizer to produce higher thrust during the boost and dash stages of a flight. During the high thrust stages, the air ducts of the ducted member are closed and IRFNA gel is injected into the combustion chamber to react with the fuel-rich hot gases from the GAP SFGG. The resulting higher pressure in the combustion chamber gives the missile a correspondingly greater thrust than during the lower pressure airbreathing sustain stage of flight.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. A solid fuel ducted rocket augmented with gel-oxidizer comprising:
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(i) a rocket motor case having a head-end and an aft end; (ii) an exhaust nozzle secured to said rocket motor case at the aft-end thereof; (iii) a combustion zone of a combustion chamber within said rocket motor case and in communication with said exhaust nozzle, said combustion zone being a zone in the combustion chamber wherein fuel and oxidizer are brought together for hypergolic reaction; (iv) a glycidyl azide polymer solid fuel gas generator installed within said rocket motor case at the head-end thereof, said glycidyl azide polymer after being ignited performing the function of supplying fuel-rich hot gases for further combustion within said rocket motor case in a combustion zone of a combustion chamber; (v) an igniter for igniting said glycidyl azide polymer; (vi) a ducted member extending outwardly from said rocket motor case between said aft-end and said head-end thereof and forming an air scoop having an air inlet for directing air scooped from the atmosphere during a low pressure airbreathing sustain stage of a flight into the interior of said rocket motor case for combustion of said fuel-rich hot gases in a combustion zone of a combustion chamber; (vii) a moveable intake closure mounted within said combustion chamber, said intake closure capable of being opened during a sustain stage of flight to allow air to be scooped into said combustion chamber and said intake closure capable of being closed during a boost or dash stage of flight to minimize drag and to retain higher combustion pressure within said combustion chamber, as compared with said sustain stage of flight, employing said gel-oxidizer for hypergolic reaction with said fuel-rich hot gases; (viii) a housing structure in a spaced apart relationship from said glycidyl azide polymer within said rocket motor case and extending toward the aft-end of said rocket motor case, said housing structure in said spaced apart relationship defining a combustion zone and one or more conduits for conducting fuel-rich hot gases into said combustion zone for hypergolic reaction with air scooped in during a lower pressure airbreathing sustain stage of propulsion and said housing structure having a storage capability for storing a gel-oxidizer and means for expelling said gel-oxidizer for hypergolic reaction with said fuel-rich hot gases at a much higher pressure during a boost or dash stage of a flight as compared with said sustain stage of a flight; (ix) a combustion zone of a combustion chamber within said rocket motor case defined by an outer surface of housing structure extending toward said aft-end of said rocket motor case, said combustion zone being a zone of a combustion chamber for hypergolic reaction during said sustain, boost, and dash stages of flight with said fuel-rich hot gases, to produce combustion gases for exhausting through said exhaust nozzle to produce thrust; and
,(x) a fuel insulation layer installed on an internal surface of said rocket motor case, said fuel insulating layer performing a dual function of insulating said rocket motor case and supplying gaseous combustible products for combustion within said combustion zone of said combustion chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification