Active Cooling Thermal Rocket for Hypersonic Heat-Recovery Thrust
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing spacecraft propulsion systems, particularly chemical rockets, are limited by specific impulse and require heavy thermal protection systems due to high atmospheric drag and aerodynamic heating during supersonic or hypersonic flight, leading to inefficiencies and high mass penalties.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle equipped with a thermal rocket engine and an active cooling system where the working fluid absorbs heat through cooling channels and expands to produce thrust, eliminating the need for chemical reactions and reducing molecular mass, thus increasing specific impulse and reducing mass penalties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If chemical rocket engines are used for propulsion, then thrust is generated through chemical reactions, but specific impulse is limited by maximum temperature and pressure in the combustion chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical reactions with thermal heating from external sources (sun, arc, nuclear) to heat the reaction mass. This substitution eliminates the combustion chamber temperature limit while achieving the same thrust generation mechanism through heated gas expansion in a nozzle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the heating method from internal chemical combustion to external thermal sources, enabling temperatures significantly higher than chemical rockets can achieve. This parameter change in temperature allows for higher specific impulse while avoiding the combustion chamber pressure and temperature limits.
2Use of energy by moving object
If thermal rocket propulsion uses solar energy, then specific impulse can reach 1000 sec and higher, but thrust is limited and can only be used for slow orbital changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the thermal rocket engine multi-functional by allowing it to operate with different energy sources (solar, arc, nuclear, atmospheric heating) and different propulsion modes (orbital changes, atmospheric entry/exit, hypersonic flight). This universality enables the system to achieve both high specific impulse and high thrust depending on the application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic adjustment of the thermal rocket engine's operation based on mission requirements. The engine can switch between different heating methods and propulsion modes, allowing it to provide high thrust when needed for atmospheric maneuvers and high specific impulse for orbital transfers, thus adapting to different operational conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If active cooling systems are used to protect the vehicle from aerodynamic heating, then thermal protection is achieved, but mass penalty increases due to coolant mass
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful aerodynamic heating into a beneficial resource by using the heat to drive the thermal rocket engine. Instead of merely dissipating heat through cooling systems, the system captures this thermal energy to generate thrust, eliminating the need for separate cooling systems and their associated mass penalties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the thermal protection function with the propulsion function into a single integrated system. The heat shield and cooling channels serve dual purposes: protecting the vehicle from thermal damage while simultaneously heating the reaction mass for thrust generation, thereby eliminating the need for separate cooling systems.
4Power
If chemical rockets are used for atmospheric entry and hypersonic flight, then thrust is generated, but atmospheric drag and aerodynamic heating require heavy thermal protection systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful aerodynamic heating during atmospheric entry into a beneficial thermal energy source for the rocket engine. By capturing this heat in the cooling channels, the system generates thrust that assists the vehicle through the atmosphere, reducing or eliminating the need for heavy thermal protection systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the thermal protection function with the propulsion function into a single integrated system. The cooling channels that would traditionally only serve thermal protection now dual-purpose by heating the reaction mass for thrust generation, thereby reducing the overall mass of the thermal protection system while maintaining protection capabilities.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves significantly higher specific impulse and reduces mass penalties by using heat-absorbing working fluids as reaction mass, enhancing vehicle performance and reducing the need for additional thermal protection systems.
Implementation Method 1
the working fluid flows through the active cooling system, absorbs heat
Implementation Method 2
the heated working fluid expands through a conventional rocket nozzle to produce thrust
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
AI summary
A vehicle for supersonic or hypersonic flight comprises a thermal rocket engine (lb) with a nozzle (2) and an active cooling system (8). The active cooling system cools a heat shield (6, 7). A working fluid absorbs heat inside the active cooling system and the heated working fluid expands through the nozzle to create thrust. Such a vehicle is suitable to fly a multi-skip trajectory, a boost-glide trajectory, a trajectory with a cruise phase or a re-entry into an atmosphere, for example.