Segmented Rocket Thrust Chamber Assembly for Regenerative Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional manufacturing methods for thrust chambers in rocket engines are complex and costly, particularly due to the need for complex machining and forging, and non-conventional methods like additive manufacturing struggle with large component sizes and accuracy, leading to high costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A multi-part rocket engine thrust compartment is formed using additive manufacturing with annular segments coupled via a coupling system that includes joint inserts, reducing the need for complex machining and enabling regenerative cooling through annular flow passages, while allowing for the use of various materials and configurations suitable for aerospace and other industries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional machining and forging methods are used to form thrust chambers, then manufacturing precision and structural integrity are improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The thrust chamber is divided into multiple segments that can be manufactured separately using additive manufacturing and then joined together using coupling systems with joint inserts. This segmentation allows each segment to be produced with simpler processes while maintaining overall manufacturing precision through controlled joining interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the manufacturing approach from conventional machining and forging to additive manufacturing, fundamentally altering the production parameters and processes. This parameter change enables complex internal cooling channels to be formed directly during additive manufacturing without subsequent complex machining operations.
2Device complexity
If additive manufacturing is used to manufacture large thrust chamber components, then manufacturing cost and process complexity are reduced, but manufacturing precision and component quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By dividing the large thrust chamber into smaller additive-manufacturable segments, the invention enables the use of additive manufacturing technology while maintaining quality control. Each segment can be manufactured with high precision using additive processes, and the overall assembly precision is maintained through carefully designed coupling systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Coupling systems with joint inserts serve as intermediaries between additive-manufactured segments, ensuring precise alignment and connection while accommodating thermal expansion and contraction. These intermediaries maintain the structural integrity and dimensional accuracy of the assembled thrust chamber.
3Strength
If conventional joining methods are used to assemble thrust chamber segments, then structural strength is improved, but applicability to rocket engine environments deteriorates due to temperature and pressure constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs joining methods and materials specifically selected and optimized for rocket engine environments, changing the parameters of traditional joining processes to withstand extreme temperatures and pressures. The coupling systems are designed with materials and geometries that maintain strength under thermal and mechanical loading conditions specific to thrust chambers.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling systems utilize composite material structures that combine different materials with complementary properties, enabling the joints to withstand both the mechanical loads and thermal environments of rocket engine operation. This may include thermal barrier coatings, temperature-resistant alloys, or composite structures that provide both strength and thermal management.
Data Source
AI summary
A coupling system is utilized to form a multi-part rocket engine thrust compartment that maintains inner channels within walls of the thrust compartment for regenerative cooling. The coupling system includes an insert joint arranged between joint faces of a first segment and a second segment. The first segment and the second segment include inner edges that, when jointed together, form an inner wall. The joint insert is installed between the first segment and the second segment after the inner wall is formed and coupled to the first segment and the second segment. The joint faces of the first segment and the second segment include extending feature to form a flow passage along with cavities at least partially defined by the joint insert.