Patents by Inventor Thomas J. Mueller
Thomas J. Mueller has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 7503511Abstract: A bi-propellant rocket engine may include a primary propellant flowing in a central passageway, a secondary propellant flowing in a secondary passageway generally coaxial with central passageway and a pintle tip having a central chamber sidewall coaxial with the primary passageway and surrounding a central chamber, the central chamber sidewall having a first plurality of apertures there through so that some of the primary propellant exits the central chamber transverse to the flow of the secondary propellant in the secondary passageway. The pintle tip may have a secondary chamber sidewall, substantially thicker than the primary chamber sidewall, surrounding a secondary chamber downstream of and in fluid communication with the primary chamber, the secondary chamber sidewall having a second plurality of apertures there through so that some of the primary propellant exits the secondary chamber transverse to the flow of the secondary propellant in the secondary passageway.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2005Date of Patent: March 17, 2009Assignee: Space Exploration TechnologiesInventor: Thomas J. Mueller
-
Publication number: 20090007543Abstract: A bi-propellant rocket engine may include a primary propellant flowing in a central passageway, a secondary propellant flowing in a secondary passageway generally coaxial with central passageway and a pintle tip having a central chamber sidewall coaxial with the primary passageway and surrounding a central chamber, the central chamber sidewall having a first plurality of apertures there through so that some of the primary propellant exits the central chamber transverse to the flow of the secondary propellant in the secondary passageway. The pintle tip may have a secondary chamber sidewall, substantially thicker than the primary chamber sidewall, surrounding a secondary chamber downstream of and in fluid communication with the primary chamber, the secondary chamber sidewall having a second plurality of apertures there through so that some of the primary propellant exits the secondary chamber transverse to the flow of the secondary propellant in the secondary passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2005Publication date: January 8, 2009Inventor: Thomas J. Mueller
-
Patent number: 6655127Abstract: A method is provided for using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to drive a turbine (20′) in a turbopump fed rocket engine (12′). The method includes the steps of: (a) receiving fuel into a fuel rich pre-burner (50); (b) receiving high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide into the pre-burner (50); (c) converting the fuel and hydrogen peroxide into a fuel rich gas; and (d) passing the fuel rich gas through a turbine (20′), thereby using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to drive the turbine. Thus, by utilizing a fuel rich pre-burner (50) that operates at a very low mixture ratio, the drive gas for a turbine (20′) can be maintained at moderate temperature levels.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2002Date of Patent: December 2, 2003Assignee: Northrop Grumman CorporationInventors: William D. Kruse, Thomas J. Mueller, John J. Weede
-
Publication number: 20030192301Abstract: A method is provided for using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to drive a turbine (20′) in a turbopump fed rocket engine (12′). The method includes the steps of: (a) receiving fuel into a fuel rich pre-burner (50); (b) receiving high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide into the pre-burner (50); (c) converting the fuel and hydrogen peroxide into a fuel rich gas; and (d) passing the fuel rich gas through a turbine (20′), thereby using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to drive the turbine. Thus, by utiliizing a fuel rich pre-burner (50) that operates at a very low mixture ratio, the drive gas for a turbine (20′) can be maintained at moderate temperature levels.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 24, 2002Publication date: October 16, 2003Inventors: William D. Kruse, Thomas J. Mueller, John J. Weede
-
Patent number: 6591603Abstract: The present invention provides a rocket engine (10) that is self-compensating on nozzle thrust coefficient for varying ambient backpressures. The rocket engine (10) includes a combustion chamber (12) having an injector end (14) and a nozzle end (16). A propellant injector (20) is in fluid communication between a propellant line and an inside periphery of the combustion chamber injector end (14). A nozzle throat (18) is formed at the nozzle end (14) of the combustion chamber (12). A nozzle exit cone (22) extends outwardly from the nozzle throat (18). A plug support (30) is coupled between a nozzle plug (28) and the propellant injector (20). The nozzle plug (28) aerodynamically self-compensates for changes in ambient backpressure at the nozzle exit cone (22) such that the nozzle thrust coefficient is maximized for any ambient backpressure.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2001Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: TRW Inc.Inventors: Gordon A. Dressler, Thomas J. Mueller, Scott J. Rotenberger
-
Patent number: 6582160Abstract: The hopper tee provides increased material flow rates and includes a first hollow pipe section having an upper end and an opposite lower end, the upper end including an inlet opening for connecting to a discharge opening of a hopper for receiving material contained in the hopper therethrough, and an interior cylindrical side wall forming an internal passage connecting the inlet opening to the lower end for flow of the material thereto.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2001Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Inventors: Eddie W. Campbell, Thomas J. Mueller
-
Publication number: 20030046923Abstract: The present invention provides a rocket engine (10) that is self-compensating on nozzle thrust coefficient for varying ambient backpressures. The rocket engine (10) includes a combustion chamber (12) having an injector end (14) and a nozzle end (16). A propellant injector (20) is in fluid communication between a propellant line and an inside periphery of the combustion chamber injector end (14). A nozzle throat (18) is formed at the nozzle end (14) of the combustion chamber (12). A nozzle exit cone (22) extends outwardly from the nozzle throat (18). A plug support (30) is coupled between a nozzle plug (28) and the propellant injector (20). The nozzle plug (28) aerodynamically self-compensates for changes in ambient backpressure at the nozzle exit cone (22) such that the nozzle thrust coefficient is maximized for any ambient backpressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2001Publication date: March 13, 2003Inventors: Gordon A. Dressler, Thomas J. Mueller, Scott J. Rotenberger
-
Patent number: 6505463Abstract: A method is provided for using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to drive a turbine (20′) in a turbopump fed rocket engine (12′). The method includes the steps of: (a) receiving fuel into a fuel rich pre-burner (50); (b) receiving high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide into the pre-burner (50); (c) converting the fuel and hydrogen peroxide into a fuel rich gas; and (d) passing the fuel rich gas through a turbine (20′), thereby using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to drive the turbine. Thus, by utilizing a fuel rich pre-burner (50) that operates at a very low mixture ratio, the drive gas for a turbine (20′) can be maintained at moderate temperature levels.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2001Date of Patent: January 14, 2003Assignee: TRW Inc.Inventors: William D. Kruse, Thomas J. Mueller, John J. Weede
-
Publication number: 20020148215Abstract: A method is provided for using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to drive a turbine (20′) in a turbopump fed rocket engine (12′). The method includes the steps of: (a) receiving fuel into a fuel rich pre-burner (50); (b) receiving high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide into the pre-burner (50); (c) converting the fuel and hydrogen peroxide into a fuel rich gas; and (d) passing the fuel rich gas through a turbine (20′), thereby using high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to drive the turbine. Thus, by utiliizing a fuel rich pre-burner (50) that operates at a very low mixture ratio, the drive gas for a turbine (20′) can be maintained at moderate temperature levels.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2001Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventors: William D. Kruse, Thomas J. Mueller, John J. Weede
-
Patent number: 5855456Abstract: A bulk material conveying system for use with a bulk material holding tank having at least one outlet. The conveying system includes a main supply line for carrying pressurized gas and a material conveying line having an inlet and an outlet. The material conveying line is in communication with the holding tank outlet for transporting the bulk material from the holding tank to the conveying line outlet. The inlet of the material conveying line is in communication with the main supply line for receiving the pressurized gas whereby the gas moves the bulk material in the conveying line towards the conveying line outlet. The system further includes an aerator line having an inlet and an outlet and at least one connector for feeding the pressurized gas into the bulk material holding tank to agitate the bulk material and push it towards the holding tank outlet and a pressure sensor for sensing when the pressure in the material conveying line exceeds a predetermined level.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 1996Date of Patent: January 5, 1999Assignee: Ultraflo CorporationInventor: Thomas J. Mueller
-
Patent number: 5720451Abstract: A high temperature thrust chamber for spacecraft (20) is provided herein. The high temperature thrust chamber comprises a hollow body member (12) having an outer surface and an internal surface (16) defining the high temperature chamber (10). The body member (12) is made substantially of rhenium. An alloy (18) consisting of iridium and at least alloying metal selected of the group consisting of rhodium, platinum and palladium is deposited on at least a portion of the internal surface (16) of the body member (12). The iridium and the alloying metal are electrodeposited onto the body member (12). A HIP cycle is performed upon the body member (12) to cause the coating of iridium and the alloying metal to form the alloy (18) which protects the body member (12) from oxidation.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 1995Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: TRW Inc.Inventors: Melvin L. Chazen, Thomas J. Mueller, William D. Kruse
-
Patent number: 5641963Abstract: An improved IR detector system is described which uses a plurality of IR detection modules coupled to a central computer to determine the location of an intrusion to the system. Each IR detection module has a plurality of optically isolated lens and detector pairs arranged in an arcuate array coupled to a local microprocessor chip which is unique to that module such that each lens and detector pair produces a response to a sensed intrusion along a particular radial of the array's arc to allow the local microprocessor to produce a coded signal to the central computer which corresponds to the direction of the sensed intrusion. Using a triangulation algorithm, the central computer combines the coded signals from whichever of the plurality of IR detection modules are active to compute the location of the intrusion.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1995Date of Patent: June 24, 1997Inventor: Thomas J. Mueller