Hybrid rocket motor using a turbopump to pressurize a liquid propellant constituent

• US 6,640,536 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Issued: 11/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hy Pat
• Original Assignee: HY Pat Corporation
• Inventors: Schmidt, Eric E., Smith, Kevin W., Bales, Thomas O., Kline, Korey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belena, John F
• Application Number:
  US10/054,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20030136111A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 602/19, 602/51, 602/57, 602/59, 602/60, 602/66
• US Class Current: 60/219
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/46 using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/48 driven by a gas turbine fed by propellant combustion gases or fed by vaporized propellants or other gases
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/50 using pressurised fluid to pressurise the propellants
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/563 of propellant feed pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 9/72 using liquid and solid propellants, i.e. hybrid rocket-engine plants

Abstract

A hybrid rocket motor includes a storage tank which stores an oxidizer under relatively low pressure, a turbopump preferably directly coupled to an outlet of the storage tank which pressurizes the oxidizer to a relatively high pressure, a combustion chamber including a solid fuel, and an injector between the turbopump and combustion chamber through which the oxidizer is injected into the combustion chamber. According to a preferred aspect of the invention, the turbopump is operated by an expander cycle of a heat exchanger. According to another preferred aspect of the invention, the fluid flowing through the heat exchanger is oxidizer tapped from the storage tank. A barrier is maintained between an oxidizer feed line from the turbopump and the injector until sufficient pressure is created by the turbopump to pump the oxidizer at the requisite pressure into the injector.

Claims

1. A hybrid rocket motor, comprising:

a) a container having a fluid reactant therein and an outlet;

b) a combustion chamber containing a solid reactant therein;

c) an injector between said container and said combustion chamber;

d) a turbopump including a turbine and a pump axially aligned with said outlet, said pump adapted to increase a pressure of fluid reactant exiting said outlet and injected through said injector into said combustion chamber;

e) a heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet;

f) a fluid pathway extending between said inlet and one of said container and said pump; and

g) an expansion chamber coupled to said outlet of said heat exchanger, said turbine being provided in said expansion chambers,

wherein a first portion of said fluid reactant travels from said container through said fluid pathway and into said heat exchanger, and is heated within said heat exchanger and expanded within said expansion chamber, and said expanded fluid reactant powers said turbine of said turbopump, and

a second portion of said fluid reactant travels from said container and is pumped by said pump of said turbopump into said combustion chamber.

2. A hybrid rocket motor according to claim 1, wherein:

said heat exchanger is integrated into said injector.

3. A hybrid rocket motor according to claim 1, further comprising:

a valve in said fluid pathway.

4. A hybrid rocket motor according to claim 1, wherein:

said fluid reactant is oxygen, and said oxygen is in a liquid state in said container and a gaseous state in said expansion chamber.

5. A hybrid rocket motor, comprising:

a) a container having a fluid reactant therein and an outlet;

b) a combustion chamber containing a solid reactant therein;

c) an injector between said container and said combustion chamber;

d) a heat exchanger at least partially within said combustion chamber and having an inlet and a second outlet;

e) a fluid pathway extending between said container and said inlet of said heat exchanger; and

f) an expansion chamber coupled to said second outlet.

6. A hybrid rocket motor according to claim 5, wherein:

said fluid reactant is liquid oxygen, and said liquid oxygen enters said heat exchanger via said fluid pathway, is heated in said heat exchanger, and undergoes expansion in said expansion chamber such that the liquid oxygen becomes gaseous oxygen.

7. A hybrid rocket motor according to claim 5, further comprising:

g) a turbopump including a turbine and a pump, said pump adapted to increase a pressure of fluid reactant exiting said outlet of said container and injected through said injector into said combustion chamber.

8. A hybrid rocket motor according to claim 7, wherein:

said fluid reactant is liquid oxygen, and said liquid oxygen enters said heat exchanger via said fluid pathway, is heated in said heat exchanger, and undergoes expansion in said expansion chamber such that the liquid oxygen becomes gaseous oxygen, said expansion causing said turbine to rotate.

9. A hybrid rocket motor, comprising:

a) a container having a fluid reactant therein and a first outlet;

b) a combustion chamber containing a solid reactant therein;

c) a turbopump including a turbine and a pump, said pump adapted to increase a pressure of fluid reactant exiting said first outlet and injected into said combustion chamber;

d) a heat exchanger having an inlet and a second outlet;

e) a fluid pathway extending between said inlet and one of said container and said pump; and

f) an expansion chamber coupled to said second outlet, said turbine being provided in said expansion chamber,

wherein a first portion of said fluid reactant travels from said container through said fluid pathway and into said heat exchanger, and is heated within said heat exchanger and expanded within said expansion chamber, and said expanded fluid reactant powers said turbine of said turbopump, and

a second portion of said fluid reactant travels from said container and is pumped by said pump of said turbopump into said combustion chamber.

10. A hybrid rocket motor according to claim 9, further comprising:

g) an injector between said container and said combustion chamber, and said heat exchanger is at least partially integrated into said injector.

11. A hybrid rocket motor according to claim 10, further comprising:

h) an at least partially removable barrier between said pump and said injector.

12. A projectile, comprising:

a) a motor having a forward end and an aft end, said motor including,

i) a container having a fluid reactant therein and a first outlet,

ii) a combustion chamber containing a solid reactant therein,

iii) a turbopump including a turbine and a pump, said pump adapted to increase a pressure of fluid reactant exiting said first outlet and injected into said combustion chamber,

iv) a heat exchanger having an inlet and a second outlet,

v) a fluid pathway extending between said inlet and one of said container and said pump, and

vi) an expansion chamber coupled to said second outlet, said turbine being provided in said expansion chamber,

wherein a first portion of said fluid reactant travels from said container through said fluid pathway and into said heat exchanger, and is heated within said heat exchanger and expanded within said expansion chamber, and said expanded fluid reactant powers said turbine of said turbopump, and

a second portion of said fluid reactant travels from said container and is pumped by said pump of said turbopump into said combustion chamber;

b) a tubular casing around said motor;

c) a nose portion coupled to said forward end of said motor; and

d) a nozzle coupled to said aft end of said motor.