Nozzle with temperature-responsive throat diameter
US7762078B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 13, 2006 |
| Grant date | Jul 27, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 11, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF05D2300/505
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Nozzles that offer shape variability to maintain or purposely change the pressure drop across the throat are obtained by constructing the nozzles with components that change their shape, angle, or curvature in response to temperature changes that occur during the flow of combustion products through the nozzle. The temperature change may be the gradual heating of the nozzle wall from hot combustion gases, and the shape change may result in a decrease in the throat diameter or an expansion of the throat diameter. A decrease in throat diameter will be useful when the depletion of propellant as burning proceeds causes a drop in the pressure or flow rate of the combustion gas and there is a need to compensate for this drop to maintain the pressure drop across the throat. An increase in throat diameter will be useful when an initial high thrust is no longer needed and depletion of the fuel by itself is insufficient to lower the thrust to its desired reduced level. An example of a temperature-responsive material is a shape memory alloy; other examples are presented as well.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.