Distributed airfoil aerospike rocket nozzle
US11512669B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 2020 |
| Grant date | Nov 29, 2022 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 6, 2040 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF05D2240/1281
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A rocket engine nozzle manufacturable and applicable to tactical missile designs includes an aerospike having a plurality of airfoil fins 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 airfoil fins and an inner perimeter of the combustion chamber define a plurality of apertures which choke an airflow exiting the combustion chamber and cause the airflow to expand supersonically along the airfoil fins. The aerospike rocket engine nozzle requires less machine precision and achieves packing benefits over conventional bell and aerospike nozzle geometries. The configuration of the aerospike rocket engine nozzle also removes the producibility and heating constraints typically encountered with conventional aerospike nozzles in tactical missile applications while improving thrust performance of the rocket engine across a wide range of altitudes.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.