Rotating-Disc Liquid Propellant Gasifier for Seal-Free Pressurization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rocket propulsion systems using liquid fuels face inefficiencies and complexity due to high relative velocities between components, leading to issues like shock waves and the need for complex seals, which can compromise mission success.
Innovation Solution
A rotating disc design that simultaneously gasifies and pressurizes oxidizer and fuel without relative movement between components, utilizing centrifugal forces to achieve high pressures and efficiency, with blades to manage kinetic energy and reduce friction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If conventional turbines with rotating discs and blades are used to pressurize liquid propellants, then high pressure can be achieved, but high relative velocities between components cause shock waves and require complex seals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the compression and expansion functions into a single rotating disc structure. The disc contains both compression ducts (for pressurizing liquid propellant from center to periphery) and expansion ducts (for expanding combustion gases from periphery to center), eliminating the need for separate turbine components and their associated sealing requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotating disc serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a compression element (pressurizing propellant) and an expansion element (expanding combustion gases), while also serving as the structural carrier for both duct systems. This multi-functionality reduces the number of moving parts and simplifies the overall system.
2Power
If conventional turbines with relative movement between components are used, then work extraction and pressurization can be achieved, but synchronization and sealing become complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the turbine blades and compressor impeller into a single integrated rotating disc. The expansion ducts contain turbine blades that extract work from combustion gases, while the compression ducts contain the liquid propellant being pressurized. Both functions occur simultaneously in the same rotating reference frame, eliminating synchronization issues between separate turbine and compressor shafts.
3Productivity
If turbochargers with preburner combustion are used to pressurize propellants, then high efficiency can be achieved, but system complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the preburner combustion chamber with the expansion ducts of the rotating disc. Combustion gases from the preburner flow directly into the expansion ducts where they expand through turbine blades, driving the rotation that simultaneously compresses the main propellant. This integration eliminates separate preburner housing and associated mounting structures.
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 disc achieves high pressures and efficiency with reduced weight, cost, and reliability, eliminating the need for complex seals and synchronization of turbines, while recovering energy for operation.
Implementation Method 1
a) Increasing the tangential kinetic energy and pressure of liquid propellants by driving them from the center of a circular motion disc to the periphery
Implementation Method 2
the expansion ducts act as a turbine that captures the energy released by the decrease in tangential kinetic energy of the combustion gases and transfers it to the compression ducts
Implementation Method 3
b) Gasify the propellants at the periphery of the circular motion disc by means of partial combustion
Data Source
AI summary
A method utilizing a rotating disc gasifies and pressurizes liquid propellants for use in rocket propulsion systems. The method is carried out by: a) increasing the tangential kinetic energy and pressure of liquid propellants by driving them from the center of the rotating disc to the periphery of the disc; b) gasifying the propellants at the periphery of the disc by partial combustion; and c) decreasing the tangential kinetic energy of the gasified propellants by driving them from the periphery to the center of the disc. The single rotating disc gasifies oxidant and fuel simultaneously, without relative movement between the components of the disc which include a structural disc (2), plates (3), compression ducts (4) and (5) and expansion ducts (6) and (10). The various ducts transport the propellants as shown by the arrows in FIG. 1.