Rocket engine systems with a supercritical coolant

    公开(公告)号:US12071914B2

    公开(公告)日:2024-08-27

    申请号:US17561621

    申请日:2021-12-23

    IPC分类号: F02K9/64 F02K9/46

    摘要: A rocket engine system comprising a rocket engine, coolant and a coolant source, propellant and a propellant source, a turbopump, and a heat source. The coolant is pressurized and then heated through a heat source to a supercritical state for augmented heat transfer. The heat source may be a heat exchanger with returning coolant, or a preburner. The rocket engine system may further comprise at least one additional rocket engine with a pump to provide pressure for multiple engine. The rocket engine system may further comprise multiple turbopump shafts for independent control of propellants.

    AEROSPIKE ENGINES, LAUNCH VEHICLES INCORPORATING SUCH ENGINES AND METHODS

    公开(公告)号:US20240067362A1

    公开(公告)日:2024-02-29

    申请号:US18271834

    申请日:2022-01-11

    摘要: An aerospike engine configured to be connected to a liquid methane tank, and to a liquid oxygen tank is provided. The aerospike engine comprises a centerbody including an aerospike nozzle, an external skirt, and a combustion chamber being defined between the external skirt and the centerbody. The centerbody is additively manufactured from one or more copper alloys and has a plurality of centerbody internal cooling channels. The external skirt is additively manufactured from one or more copper alloys and has a plurality of skirt internal cooling channels. The aerospike engine is configured to supply liquid methane and liquid oxygen through the internal cooling channels to the combustion chamber. Also disclosed are stages of a launch vehicle and a launch vehicle comprising such an aerospike engine, as well as methods for re-entry for a re-usable stage of a launch vehicle comprising an aerospike engine.

    DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING OF A SINGLE PIECE ROCKET ENGINE

    公开(公告)号:US20230407821A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-12-21

    申请号:US18033428

    申请日:2021-10-23

    摘要: Disclosed herein is a single piece, integrated, light weighted, cost-effective 3D printed engine for space vehicles. FIG. 5 illustrates an integrated engine that comprises a combustion chamber to burn the fuel, an injector plate (504) to inject the fuel to the combustion chamber, an igniter (502) to ignite the fuel mixture, a nozzle (506) to pass hot gas to produce thrust and cooling channels (508) for regenerative cooling, where all these components are fused to form a single piece integrated engine. The engine of the present invention eliminates the need of assembling the individual components. Further, the engine is additively manufactured with high grade aerospace materials. Thus, the cost and mass of the engine is reduced when compared to traditionally manufactured engines, which leads to frequent missions.

    MULTI-PART FLUID CHAMBER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING

    公开(公告)号:US20230184196A1

    公开(公告)日:2023-06-15

    申请号:US17947883

    申请日:2022-09-19

    申请人: ABL Space Systems

    摘要: A coupling system is utilized to form a multi-part rocket engine thrust compartment that maintains inner channels within walls of the thrust compartment for regenerative cooling. The coupling system includes an insert joint arranged between joint faces of a first segment and a second segment. The first segment and the second segment include inner edges that, when jointed together, form an inner wall. The joint insert is installed between the first segment and the second segment after the inner wall is formed and coupled to the first segment and the second segment. The joint faces of the first segment and the second segment include extending feature to form a flow passage along with cavities at least partially defined by the joint insert.

    LIQUID-COOLED AIR-BREATHING ROCKET ENGINE

    公开(公告)号:US20220145831A1

    公开(公告)日:2022-05-12

    申请号:US17544220

    申请日:2021-12-07

    摘要: An air-breathing rocket engine in certain embodiments comprises an outer shell and an interior portion situated entirely within the front end of the outer shell. The interior portion includes a funnel-shaped intake and an annular primary combustion chamber between the inner front wall of the shell and the outer surface of the funnel-shaped intake. The intake has a central aperture that is in fluid communication with the throat and exhaust areas within the outer shell. A second circumferential gap is formed between the outer surface of the front inner wall and the inner surface of the front end of the outer shell and is in fluid communication with the throat and exhaust areas within the outer shell. One or more injector ports and one or more ignition ports are situated at the front end of the second circumferential gap.