Patent · US Expired

Heterogeneous fuel for hybrid rocket

US5529648A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
9References
35Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 23, 1993
Grant dateJun 25, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 23, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF02K9/72
  • WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

Heterogeneous fuel compositions suitable for use in hybrid rocket engines and solid-fuel ramjet engines, The compositions include mixtures of a continuous phase, which forms a solid matrix, and a dispersed phase permanently distributed therein. The dispersed phase or the matrix vaporizes (or melts) and disperses into the gas flow much more rapidly than the other, creating depressions, voids and bumps within and on the surface of the remaining bulk material that continuously roughen its surface, This effect substantially enhances heat transfer from the combusting gas flow to the fuel surface, producing a correspondingly high burning rate, The dispersed phase may include solid particles, entrained liquid droplets, or gas-phase voids having dimensions roughly similar to the displacement scale height of the gas-flow boundary layer generated during combustion.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.