US 11,970,996 B2
Staged combustion liquid rocket engine cycle with the turbopump unit and preburner integrated into the structure of the combustion chamber
Timothy Bulk, Boulder, CO (US); and Christopher Hayes, Boulder, CO (US)
Assigned to Special Aerospace Services, LLC, Boulder, CO (US)
Filed by Special Aerospace Services, LLC, Boulder, CO (US)
Filed on Jun. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/211,277.
Application 18/211,277 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/503,526, filed on Oct. 18, 2021, granted, now 11,708,804.
Application 17/503,526 is a continuation of application No. 17/013,457, filed on Sep. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,149,691, issued on Oct. 19, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/897,044, filed on Sep. 6, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/724,580, filed on Aug. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0332562 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. F02K 9/48 (2006.01); F02K 9/52 (2006.01); F02K 9/64 (2006.01); F02K 9/82 (2006.01); F02K 9/50 (2006.01); F02K 9/97 (2006.01)
CPC F02K 9/48 (2013.01) [F02K 9/52 (2013.01); F02K 9/64 (2013.01); F02K 9/82 (2013.01); F02K 9/50 (2013.01); F02K 9/972 (2013.01); F05D 2220/80 (2013.01); F05D 2260/205 (2013.01); F05D 2260/601 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A liquid rocket engine (LRE) comprising:
a fuel supply line containing a fuel;
an oxidizer supply line containing an oxidizer, the oxidizer supply line splitting into a plurality of partial oxidizer supply lines;
a turbine mounted to a turbine shaft along a longitudinal centerline of the LRE and rotating with the turbine shaft about the longitudinal centerline;
a main combustion chamber having a main combustion chamber injector head in fluid communication with the turbine and in fluid communication with at least one of the plurality of partial oxidizer supply lines;
a flow collimator comprising a set of apertures;
a nozzle in fluid communication with the main combustion chamber; and
a preburner combustion chamber having a preburner injector head;
wherein:
the preburner injector head injects the fuel with the oxidizer to create preburner combustion exhaust products which drive the turbine about the turbine shaft, the preburner combustion exhaust products flowing from the turbine to the main combustion chamber via a gas duct;
the flow collimator is in fluid communication with the gas duct and the main combustion chamber; and
the main combustion chamber injector head injects the preburner combustion exhaust products received from the turbine with the oxidizer to produce an LRE thrust.