Rotatable Missile Engine Units for Lateral Thrust Vectoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing propulsion systems for guided missiles suffer from limited lateral thrust capabilities and complex, temperature-resistant designs in thrust vectoring systems, which restrict maneuverability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A propulsion system for guided missiles with rotatable engine units, allowing the exhaust nozzle orientation to be adjusted through a rotating combustion chamber and actuator, enabling both longitudinal and lateral thrust generation without separate thrust engines, and incorporating a roll system for enhanced maneuverability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If separate lateral thrust engines are used for thrust vectoring, then lateral thrust capability is improved, but device complexity and power output limitations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single engine unit is designed to perform multiple functions: it can generate both longitudinal thrust for forward propulsion and lateral thrust for maneuvering by rotating the combustion chamber and exhaust nozzle orientation. This eliminates the need for separate dedicated lateral thrust engines, reducing system complexity while maintaining full thrust vectoring capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine unit incorporates a rotation mechanism that allows the combustion chamber and exhaust nozzle to change their orientation dynamically relative to the missile body. This dynamic repositioning enables the same engine to direct thrust in different directions (longitudinal and lateral) as needed, providing versatile thrust vectoring without additional engines.
2Ease of operation
If swiveling outlet nozzles are used for thrust vectoring, then thrust direction control is improved, but device complexity and temperature resistance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The rotation function is merged with the combustion chamber and exhaust nozzle assembly itself, rather than using a separate swiveling mechanism at the nozzle outlet. By rotating the entire engine unit (combustion chamber + exhaust nozzle) as a single integrated component, the design eliminates complex rotary joints and reduces the number of moving parts that would need to withstand extreme temperatures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If rotary joints or nozzle needles are used for thrust vectoring, then thrust direction adjustment is improved, but reliability decreases due to temperature exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The problematic rotary joint is extracted from the hot gas jet environment and relocated to a cooler, protected location within the engine assembly. The rotation mechanism is integrated into the combustion chamber mounting structure, away from the direct path of the hot exhaust gas, thereby maintaining thrust direction adjustment capability while protecting moving components from thermal erosion and improving overall reliability.
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
Enables flexible and precise control of thrust vectors, allowing for equal performance in both longitudinal and lateral thrust, eliminating the need for separate thrust engines and simplifying the system design by avoiding complex rotary joints.
Implementation Method 1
fuel is burned in a combustion chamber, and the combustion gases are expelled under pressure from an outlet nozzle connected to the combustion chamber via a connecting line to generate or modify the missile's motion
Implementation Method 2
a propellant gas stream exiting the exhaust nozzle, particularly a hot gas jet, can also be expelled at a specific angle relative to an axis parallel to the engine's longitudinal axis
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Guided missile (1) comprising a propulsion system (2) with an engine (3) having at least one engine unit (4-7) having a combustion chamber (14-17) and at least one exhaust nozzle (8-11) fixed in its orientation to the combustion chamber (14-17) via a connecting line (18-21) and configured to expel a propellant gas flow through the exhaust nozzle (8-11), wherein an actuating device (22-25) is configured to rotate the orientation of the combustion chamber (14-17) and the at least one exhaust nozzle (8-11) of the at least one engine unit (4-7) about a rotation axis (26, 33-35) oriented, in particular perpendicular to a longitudinal axis (27) of the guided missile (1), into at least one first ejection position and at least one second ejection position.