Deflectable Distributed Aerospike Nozzle Thrust Vectoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional jet vane control systems in rocket propulsion systems suffer from significant performance losses due to oblique shockwaves and structural challenges, resulting in reduced thrust efficiency and increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A deflectable distributed aerospike rocket engine nozzle with adjustable airfoil vanes at the exit end of the combustion chamber, which chokes the exhaust and expands it supersonically without imparting shockwaves, using an actuator to adjust the vane positions for thrust vectoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If jet vanes are used to vector thrust in conventional rocket systems, then maneuverability is improved, but thrust efficiency is reduced by 10-20% due to oblique shockwaves
Solution Approach 1:
The aerospike nozzle is segmented into multiple independent adjustable airfoil vanes distributed around the central longitudinal axis. Each vane can be independently positioned to control the exhaust flow, replacing the single conventional jet vane system. This segmentation allows for precise thrust vectoring while maintaining supersonic flow integrity and avoiding shockwave formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The airfoil vanes are made dynamically adjustable during rocket operation, allowing real-time modification of the nozzle geometry. The actuators enable each vane to change its position and angle, adapting the exhaust flow direction dynamically without creating shockwaves, thus maintaining high thrust efficiency while achieving maneuverability.
2Ease of operation
If jet vanes are positioned in the supersonic jet path, then thrust vectoring is achieved, but the actuation systems are subjected to significant bending moments due to cantilevered positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The airfoil vanes are integrated directly into the aerospike nozzle structure at the exit plane of the combustion chamber, merging the thrust vectoring mechanism with the nozzle itself. This integration eliminates the need for separate cantilevered actuation systems, as the vanes are structurally supported by the nozzle body, significantly reducing bending moments while maintaining thrust vectoring capability.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional nozzle designs are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but performance across wide altitude ranges is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The aerospike nozzle incorporates dynamically adjustable airfoil vanes that can change the effective nozzle geometry during operation. This dynamic capability allows the nozzle to adapt to varying ambient pressures across different altitudes, optimizing performance from sea level to high altitude without requiring multiple fixed-geometry nozzles, thus achieving versatility while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The nozzle design allows for changes in geometric parameters through the adjustable positioning of airfoil vanes. By modifying the effective expansion area and flow direction parameters in real-time, the system adapts to different altitude conditions, maintaining optimal thrust performance across a wide altitude range while using a single manufacturable nozzle structure.
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
Improves rocket engine performance by over 15% with reduced machine precision and packing benefits, maintaining thrust efficiency across a wide range of altitudes without the oblique shockwave issues of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
The adjustable airfoil vanes and an inner perimeter of the combustion chamber define a plurality of apertures which choke an exhaust exiting the combustion chamber
Implementation Method 2
cause the exhaust to expand supersonically along the adjustable airfoil vanes
Implementation Method 3
An actuator is configured to adjust a position of each of the adjustable airfoil vanes relative to each other so as to direct the exhaust exiting the rocket engine combustion chamber before it expands supersonically across the airfoil vanes. In this manner, the rocket engine nozzle directs the supersonic jet that is created and effectively vectors a thrust of the supersonic jet without any oblique shockwave being imparted on the supersonic jet.
Data Source
AI summary
A rocket engine nozzle includes an aerospike having a plurality of adjustable airfoil vanes distributed around a central longitudinal axis of a rocket engine combustion chamber. The aerospike is integrated on an exit plane at an exit end of the combustion chamber. The adjustable airfoil vanes and an inner perimeter of the combustion chamber define a plurality of apertures which choke an exhaust exiting the combustion chamber and cause the exhaust to expand supersonically along the adjustable airfoil vanes, creating a supersonic jet. An actuator is configured to adjust a position of each of the adjustable airfoil vane relative to each other so as to direct the exhaust exiting the rocket engine combustion chamber as the exhaust expands supersonically over the airfoil vanes without causing a shockwave to be imparted on the supersonic jet that is created. Accordingly, performance of the rocket engine is improved over conventional systems.