Patents by Inventor William Zach Hallum

William Zach Hallum 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: 11952967
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a vortex hybrid motor are described herein. In some embodiments, the vortex hybrid motor may include a housing with a solid propellant positioned within the housing, and an injector ring positioned at a proximal end of the housing. The injector ring can include a plurality of angled injector units each including a first injector and a second injector angled towards an impingement point. A first fluid stream of a liquid propellant dispensed from the first injector can collide with a second fluid stream of the liquid propellant dispensed from the second injector to atomize the liquid propellant and form a spray fan formation. At least one of the first injector and the second injector can be positioned at an injection angle relative to the sidewall to create a swirl flow of the atomized injector fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Sierra Space Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Richard Pomeroy, Martin John Chiaverini, Jesse Morgan Warrick, William Zach Hallum, Nicholas Ryan Walker
  • Publication number: 20230059681
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a vortex hybrid motor are described herein. In some embodiments, the vortex hybrid motor may include a housing with a solid propellant positioned within the housing, and an injector ring positioned at a proximal end of the housing. The injector ring can include a plurality of angled injector units each including a first injector and a second injector angled towards an impingement point. A first fluid stream of a liquid propellant dispensed from the first injector can collide with a second fluid stream of the liquid propellant dispensed from the second injector to atomize the liquid propellant and form a spray fan formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Brian Richard Pomeroy, Martin John Chiaverini, Jesse Morgan Warrick, William Zach Hallum, Nicholas Ryan Walker
  • Publication number: 20220120240
    Abstract: Various embodiments of a vortex thruster system is described herein that are configured to create at least three discrete thrust levels. In some embodiments, the vortex thruster system includes a catalyst bed configured to decompose a monopropellant at more than one flow rate and deliver the decomposed monopropellant into a vortex combustion chamber for generating various thrust levels. In some embodiments, the catalyst bed includes a screen assembly positioned within the inner chamber of the catalyst bed. The screen assembly can include alternating reactive screens and inert screens. The reactive screens can include a catalytic coating for assisting with decomposing the monopropellant, and the inert screens can provide structural support for the screen assembly. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Ryan Christopher Cavitt, William Zach Hallum, Scott Murphy Munson