Abstract: A method of controlling the flow of gas emerging from the outlet of a fluidic vortex valve, the method comprising feeding a supply fluid to an inlet of the vortex chamber associated with the fluidic vortex valve whereby a supply gas flow is injected into the vortex chamber in a substantially radial direction, feeding in a controlled manner via a valve member a control fluid to a second inlet of the vortex chamber whereby a control fluid flow is injected into the vortex chamber in a substantially tangential direction wherein the improvement lies in providing that the control fluid is in the form of a liquid monopropellant at least until after it has flowed past the valve member, and providing means for igniting the liquid monopropellant thereafter to generate the control gas flow in the vortex chamber.

Abstract: The invention provides a fuel supply system for a gas generator having a minimum of moving-part components and avoids highly-pressurized containers. The system comprises a pressurizable fuel reservoir (1) connected to both the inlet and outlet of a combustion chamber via flow control means (1,16) the arrangement being such that fuel flows to the combustion chamber and other areas of use when pressure in the fuel reservoir (1) is greater than that in the combustion chamber and gas flows to the fuel reservoir (1) to pressurize the latter when the pressure therein is less than that of the combustion chamber, the respective flow control means (11,16) operating in sequence such that the system operates in a cyclical and self-generating manner. The invention is particularly applicable to gas generators forming part of rocket motors.