Abstract:
A motor assembly (10) is provided for use with projectiles, such as munitions, having relatively low length to diameter ratios. The motor assembly has an aerospike nozzle (42) and a casing disposed about the aerospike nozzle, where interior aerospike volume contains propellant and where walls of both the cowl of the casing and of the aerospike nozzle jointly define a combustion chamber (90).
Abstract:
There is disclosed a solid fuel rocket motor including a center-perforated solid fuel grain. The solid fuel grain may be adapted to burn outwardly from a center surface facing the center perforation when ignited by a primary igniter during a normal mode of operation. The solid fuel grain may be further adapted to burn longitudinally from an end face when ignited by a secondary igniter during a safety mode of operation.
Abstract:
Microwave energy is used to ignite and control the ignition of electrically operated propellant to produce high-pressure gas. The propellant includes conductive particles that act as a free source of electrons. Incoming microwave energy accumulates electric charge in an attenuation zone, which is discharged in the form of dielectric breakdowns to create local randomly oriented currents. The propellant also includes polar molecules. The polar molecules in the attenuation zone absorb microwave energy causing the molecules to rapidly vibrate thereby increasing the temperature of the propellant. The increase in temperature and the local current densities together establish an ignition condition to ignite and sustain ignition of an ignition surface of the attenuation zone as the zone regresses without igniting the remaining bulk of the propellant.
Abstract:
A thruster includes multiple segments of electrically-operated propellant, electrodes for igniting one or a few of the electrically-operated propellant segments at a time, and a propellant feeder for moving further propellant segments into engagement with the electrodes. The segments may be configured to provide equal increments of thrust, or different amounts of thrust. The segments may each include an electrically-operated propellant material surrounded by a sealing material, so as to keep the propellant material away from moisture and other contaminants (and/or the vacuum of space) before each individual segment is to be used. The thruster may be included in any of a variety of flight vehicles, for example in a small satellite such as a CubeSat satellite, for instance having a volume of about 1 liter, and a mass of no more than about 1.33 kg.
Abstract translation:推进器包括多个电动推进剂段,用于一次点燃一个或几个电动推进剂段的电极,以及推进剂供给器,用于将另外的推进剂段移动到与 电极。 这些段可以被配置成提供相等的推力增量或不同的推力量。 这些区段可以各自包括由密封材料围绕的电操作推进剂材料,以便在每个单独的区段将被使用之前使推进剂材料远离湿气和其他污染物(和/或空间的真空)。 推进器可以包括在各种飞行器中的任何一种中,例如在诸如CubeSat卫星的小卫星中,例如具有大约1升的体积和不大于大约1.33kg的质量。 p >
Abstract:
Electrical ignition of electrically operated propellant in a gas generation system provides an ignition condition at an ignition surface between a pair of electrodes that satisfies three criteria of a current density J that exhibits a decreasing gradient along an axis normal to an ignition surface, is substantially constant across the ignition surface and exceeds an ignition threshold at the ignition surface. These criteria may be satisfied by one or more of an angled electrode configuration, a segmented electrode configuration or an additive to the electrically operated propellant that modifies its conductivity. These configurations improve burn rate control and consumption of the available propellant and are scalable to greater propellant mass to support larger gas generation systems.
Abstract:
A gas generator assembly includes a propellant chamber housing an amine based propellant. A reaction chamber is coupled with the propellant chamber. The reaction chamber includes a reaction chamber housing, and a porous reaction matrix within the reaction chamber housing. The reaction matrix includes a catalyzing agent, and the catalyzing agent is configured to non-combustibly catalyze the amine based propellant into one or more pressurized gases. An injector is in communication with the propellant chamber. The injector is configured to deliver the amine based propellant to the porous reaction matrix. A discharge nozzle is coupled with the reaction chamber and is configured to accelerate and discharge the one or more pressurized gases. In one example, the gas generator is coupled with one or more of an impulse turbine assembly and an electric generator to form a micro power unit.
Abstract:
A device (100) is provided. The device includes at least one SMM component (115, 120, 130) fabricated from a shape memory material (SMM). The SMM component is configured to change shape in response to receiving a stimulus. The SMM component is also configured to deploy from a device body (105) of the device allowing the device to change shape in an advantageous way. A method (1000) implemented by a device (100) is also provided. The method includes changing (1010) a shape of an SMM component (115, 120, 130) of the device in response to receiving a stimulus. The SMM component is fabricated from an SMM. The method also includes deploying (1015) the SMM component from a device body (105) of the device allowing the device to change shape in an advantageous way.
Abstract:
A detonation thrust-producing device (10) includes an explosive (32) located in a recess (34) in an external surface of a body (16). Detonation of the explosive expels material out of the recess, providing thrust to the body in an opposite direction. A mass, such as a metal disk (58), may be placed blocking or covering the external opening. The body may be a part of a vehicle, such as an airborne projectile (12). The thrust-producing device may include multiple detonation motors arrayed around the body, capable of being individually or multiply detonated. Such thrust-producing devices may be used for attitude adjustment, steering, or other control of the flight of the projectile or other air vehicle. The detonation thrust-producing devices have the advantage of a faster-response time than propellant-based devices, and do not need the nozzles that are used with many propellant-based devices.
Abstract:
A gas generator assembly includes a propellant chamber housing an amine based propellant. A reaction chamber is coupled with the propellant chamber. The reaction chamber includes a reaction chamber housing, and a porous reaction matrix within the reaction chamber housing. The reaction matrix includes a catalyzing agent, and the catalyzing agent is configured to non-combustibly catalyze the amine based propellant into one or more pressurized gases. An injector is in communication with the propellant chamber. The injector is configured to deliver the amine based propellant to the porous reaction matrix. A discharge nozzle is coupled with the reaction chamber and is configured to accelerate and discharge the one or more pressurized gases. In one example, the gas generator is coupled with one or more of an impulse turbine assembly and an electric generator to form a micro power unit.
Abstract:
There is disclosed a solid fuel rocket motor including a center-perforated solid fuel grain. The solid fuel grain may be adapted to burn outwardly from a center surface facing the center perforation when ignited by a primary igniter during a normal mode of operation. The solid fuel grain may be further adapted to burn longitudinally from an end face when ignited by a secondary igniter during a safety mode of operation.