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.

Abstract: An injector element for a liquid propellant rocket engine includes an oxidizer conduit, a central cavity that is fluidly coupled with the oxidizer conduit downstream of the oxidizer conduit, a first annulus that at least partially surrounds the oxidizer conduit and is fluidly coupled with an ignition fluid supply downstream of the ignition fluid supply, and a second annulus that at least partially surrounds the oxidizer conduit and is fluidly coupled with a fuel supply downstream of the fuel supply. The second annulus is fluidly coupled between the first annulus and the central cavity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various technologies pertinent to rocket engines, including injector, thrust chamber, and electrical turbopump devices that may be combined to provide a more efficient rocket engine. The electrical turbopump impeller includes a coolant bypass port fluidically connected with a coolant passage that passes through the impeller central hub and allows some of the propellant that is acted on by the impeller to bypass the impeller outlet and instead be flowed into the electrical turbopump housing so that the diverted propellant may be used to cool the various components housed within the housing such as the electric motor bearings, stator, rotor, and electronics.

Abstract: A liquid rocket engine cools a thruster body by pumping propellant through cooling channels integrated in the thruster body between internal and external surfaces. One or more of the cooling channel surfaces has a variable depth along a thrust axis to mix propellant flow and destroy thermal stratification, such as a depth that varies with a repeated contiguous sinusoidal form along the thrust axis. Fuel passed through the cooling channels injects from the combustion chamber wall towards a central portion of the combustion chamber to cross impinge with oxygen injected at the combustion chamber head so that a toroidal vortex forms to enhance propellant mixing.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include an injection system. The injection system includes a Resonance Enhanced Microjet (REM) nozzle. The REM nozzles includes a REM nozzle block, the REM nozzle block having an inlet formed in a top and an outlet formed in a bottom, the inlet and outlet being fluid coupled together. The REM nozzle also includes one or more micronozzles positioned about the outlet, the one or more micronozzles having an outlet and being positioned at an angle relative to the bottom. Additionally, the REM nozzle includes an inlet conduit coupled to the REM nozzle block, the inlet conduit being fluidly coupled to the one or more micronozzles. The injection system also includes a source arranged proximate the top, the source directing a source jet of fluid into the inlet. The injection system includes a fuel supply fluidly coupled to the inlet conduit. Such a system can inject a fuel entrained in an oxidizer pulsing at very high-frequency.

Abstract: A method of repairing a rod guide assembly of a fuel control unit of an aircraft engine is provided. The method comprises disconnecting a used spring seat from the rod of the rod guide assembly and welding a replacement spring seat to the rod using an electron beam controlled using a circular beam deflection pattern.

Abstract: An injection apparatus for a rocket engine comprises an injection plate which delimits a combustion chamber upstream. The injection apparatus further comprises a plurality of coaxial injection elements distributed in the injection plate, each of which injection elements forms an inner outlet opening, delimited by a central sleeve body, for a first propellant component and an outer outlet opening for a second propellant component. The outer outlet opening is formed between the central sleeve body and a wall section which surrounds the central sleeve body in an annular manner. At least in a partial number of the injection elements, the central sleeve body projects from the wall section in the direction towards the combustion chamber. In particular, the central sleeve body projects relative to the injection plate into the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A pogo effect corrector system for a liquid propellant feed system of a rocket engine includes a liquid propellant feed pipe portion, and a hydraulic accumulator including a tank connected firstly to the feed pipe portion firstly via at least one take-off passage opening out into a take-off segment of the feed pipe portion, and secondly via at least one rejection passage opening out into the tank at an intermediate level lying between the at least one take-off passage and the top of the tank, wherein the feed pipe portion possesses a constriction segment where the flow section of the feed pipeline portion is less than the flow section of the take-off segment, and wherein at least one rejection passage opens out into the feed pipeline portion in the constriction segment.

Abstract: A monopropellant rocket engine in which nitrous oxide is the propellant includes a catalyst bed on an end of a diverging combustion chamber to inject a first flow of monopropellant to ignite the monopropellant, followed by a series of additional monopropellant injections along the diverging combustion chamber where the previously injected monopropellant decomposes to be used to ignite the downstream injected monopropellant. When all monopropellant has been decomposed, the monopropellant is passed through a throat and nozzle to produce thrust. A control valve is used to regulate an amount of monopropellant injected at each point in order to regulate an amount of thrust.

Abstract: Provided herein are various improvements to rocket engine components and rocket engine operational techniques. In one example, a rocket engine propellant injection apparatus is provided that includes a manifold formed into a single body by an additive manufacturing process and comprising a fuel cavity and an oxidizer cavity. The manifold also includes one or more propellant feed stubs, the one or more propellant feed stubs protruding from the manifold and formed into the single body of the manifold by the additive manufacturing process, with at least a first stub configured to carry fuel to the fuel cavity and at least a second stub configured to carry oxidizer to the oxidizer cavity. The manifold also includes a plurality of injection features formed by apertures in a face of the manifold, ones of the plurality of injection features configured to inject the fuel and the oxidizer for combustion.

Abstract: A liquid injector system for a combustion engine, having a single feed inlet configured to receive a premixed liquid propellant under pressure or a purge gas under pressure, and having a liquid injector assembly. The assembly has a liquid injector having a hollow dome and injector holes configured to receive and inject the premixed liquid propellant or the purge gas through the liquid injector and into a combustion chamber. The liquid injector system has a liquid-to-gas zone between an injector outlet side and a flame front. A pressure gradient decrease between the liquid injector and the combustion chamber causes the premixed liquid propellant to expand from liquid to gas phases, which causes a temperature decrease at the liquid-to-gas zone, wherein the pressure gradient decrease and the temperature decrease prevent or mitigate the flame front from propagating upstream of the combustion chamber, which achieves an anti-flashback quenching liquid injector design.

Abstract: A combustion chamber including a diverging portion. The combustion chamber extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a fluid injection system from which there extends in a downstream direction a wall presenting a throat and a diverging portion situated downstream from the throat. The chamber further includes a tubular element surrounding the wall at least in part and configured to take up most of forces generated during operation of the chamber on the downstream end of the wall to transfer the forces to a structure situated upstream from the chamber.

Abstract: An injection head including an annular distribution cavity for distributing a propellant upstream from an injection plate supporting injectors. The cavity includes a multiply-perforated distribution grid distributing the propellant, which grid is coaxial with the distribution cavity and of a concave shape that projects into the distribution cavity, the grid being fastened to a dome of the cavity.

Abstract: A fuel manifold for a thrust chamber assembly includes a main fuel chamber which is generally frustro-conical in shape. The main fuel chamber provides a resonance frequency that is different than an acoustic resonance frequency of a combustion chamber.

Abstract: A laser beam is utilized to ignite the fuel and oxidizer injected into a combustion chamber. An injector has a plurality of injector elements each injecting fuel and oxidizer into a flame holding zone adjacent the injector face plate where fuel and oxidizer are mixing at a rate to sustain flammability. The laser beam is introduced parallel to the injector face plate passing through the fuel and oxidizer mixing zones igniting the propellants. The propellants are ignited by having a laser beam tuned to a frequency to excite the oxidizer such that it will chemically combine with the fuel to form an ignition kernel in the flame holding zone. When a plurality of injector elements are ignited in this manner a controlled ignition process in the combustion chamber is achieved.

Abstract: A pressurizing device and method, for pressurizing a first tank, the device including at least a second tank configured to contain a cryogenic fluid, a first pressurizing circuit for putting the second tank into communication with the first tank, the first pressurizing circuit including at least a first heat exchanger for heating a flow of the cryogenic fluid extracted from the second tank through the first pressurizing circuit, and a second pressurizing circuit with a compressor, branched off from the first pressurizing circuit and leading to the second tank. A feed system for feeding a reaction engine with at least a first liquid propellant includes at least a first tank configured to contain the first liquid propellant, and a device for pressurizing the first tank.

Abstract: An engine system includes a thrust chamber that has a cooling channel. The cooling channel is adapted to provide sustained cracking conditions for a fluid at steady-state operating conditions. A turbine has an input in fluid communication with an output of the cooling channel. A pump is mechanically coupled with the turbine and is in fluid communication with the cooling channel.

Abstract: A spacecraft propulsion system has at least one chemical thruster, at least one electric thruster, a propellant supply arrangement that stores a propellant and a propellant conditioning arrangement configured to convert propellant into chemical species in a thermodynamic phase that can be readily ionized. The propellant is commonly supplied from the propellant storage device to each of the chemical thruster and the electric thruster. The chemical thruster has a gas generator and a high thrust accelerator; the electric thruster has a plasma generator and a high specific impulse accelerator. The propellant supply arrangement is configured to control flow of the propellant from the propellant supply arrangement to the gas generator and the propellant conditioning arrangement, and a first flow path connects propellant supply arrangement with the gas generator, and a second flow path connects propellant supply arrangement with the plasma generator.

Abstract: An acoustic resonance igniter uses gas expanding through a nozzle to form a sonic, or under-expanded supersonic, jet directed against the opening of a blind resonance cavity in a central body, setting up a high-frequency sonic resonance which heats the gas within the cavity. A pintle extends coaxially with the nozzle and injects liquid propellant into the jet. The liquid propellant ignites with the heated gas within the resonance cavity forming combustion gases. The combustion gases flow through openings in a flange which supports the resonance cavity into a combustion chamber in the same direction as the gas jet flows. The liquid propellant is injected from within the support flange in the direction of combustion gas flow to film cool the combustion chamber wall and the flange and the central body supported by the flange. The acoustic resonance igniter may form a rocket engine ignition torch or a RCS thruster.

Abstract: A tri-propellant rocket engine for space launch applications is disclosed. The tri-propellant rocket engine comprises three main assemblies: an injector, a chamber head, and a chamber.

Abstract: A method for determining the optimum inlet geometry of a liquid rocket engine swirl injector includes obtaining a throttleable level phase value, volume flow rate, chamber pressure, liquid propellant density, inlet injector pressure, desired target spray angle and desired target optimum delta pressure value between an inlet and a chamber for a plurality of engine stages. The method calculates the tangential inlet area for each throttleable stage. The method also uses correlation between the tangential inlet areas and delta pressure values to calculate the spring displacement and variable inlet geometry of a liquid rocket engine swirl injector.

Abstract: A cap for a liquid propellant injection assembly of a rocket engine includes a cap body and a valve assembly. The cap body extends between first and second ends. The cap body has a bore that fluidly connects one or more inlets to an outlet. The inlets are disposed in a tubular sidewall of the cap body. The outlet is disposed in the second end of the cap body. The valve assembly includes a valve cap disposed around the first end of the cap body. The valve assembly is adapted to selectively regulate flow of a propellant through the inlets in the cap body as a function of pressure exerted by the propellant against the valve assembly.

Abstract: The present invention provides a motor including a combustion chamber, an oxidizer injector, a vortex generators and a nozzle. The combustion chamber can be used to dispose a solid fuel, and the oxidizer injector is used to control the flow rate of an oxidizer and to inject the oxidizer into the combustion chamber. The vortex generators is disposed on the inner wall of the combustion chamber for generating eddies to enhance the mixing of the fuel and the oxidizer. Additionally, the nozzle is connected with the combustion chamber for exhausting the gas generated by the combustion of the propellants.

Abstract: A method for determining the optimum inlet geometry of a liquid rocket engine swirl injector includes obtaining a throttleable level phase value, volume flow rate, chamber pressure, liquid propellant density, inlet injector pressure, desired target spray angle and desired target optimum delta pressure value between an inlet and a chamber for a plurality of engine stages. The tangential inlet area for each throttleable stage is calculated. The correlation between the tangential inlet areas and delta pressure values is used to calculate the spring displacement and variable inlet geometry. An injector designed using the method includes a plurality of geometrically calculated tangential inlets in an injection tube; an injection tube cap with a plurality of inlet slots slidably engages the injection tube. A pressure differential across the injector element causes the cap to slide along the injection tube and variably align the inlet slots with the tangential inlets.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and device for supplying a combustion chamber of a space propulsion engine with cryogenic liquid fuel and oxidizer propellants. The propellants are mixed at constant pressure to produce a propellant mixture, with the propellants being mixed at a location upstream of an orifice of a propellant injector. The propellant mixture is fed to an enclosure of the propellant injector, and from the propellant injector enclosure, the propellant mixture is injected into the combustion chamber. The flow rate of the propellant mixture from the propellant injector enclosure into the combustion chamber is varied by adjustment of the propellant injector, with the injection of the propellant mixture from the propellant injector enclosure into the combustion chamber being at constant pressure.

Abstract: A centrifugal impeller with a single inlet and dual outlets that include a low pressure outlet and a high pressure outlet. The impeller includes low pressure blades with high pressure blades located downstream. The impeller can be shrouded or unshrouded, and can include an inner shroud that forms a flow path for the low pressure fluid and a high pressure flow path for the high pressure fluid. The impeller can include a high pressure volute and a low pressure volute that forms a dual volute with dual diffusers for both fluids.

Abstract: The device for injecting a liquid mono-propellant with a large amount of modulation of its flow rate and disposed at an upstream end of the wall of a combustion chamber of a rocket engine has a feed channel for feeding a mono-propellant from a tank. The device includes a single annular speed-up channel connected to the feed channel and having its outlet opening out via an annular injection section, the speed-up channel and the annular injection section being defined firstly by a first wall forming a stationary surface of revolution situated level with said upstream end, and secondly by a second wall forming a surface of revolution that is on a part that is movable in translation relative to the first wall forming a stationary surface of revolution.

Abstract: A rocket engine with a manifold is in communication with a combustion chamber. A sense line extends through the propellant manifold and into the combustion chamber. The sense line includes a venturi arranged downstream from the combustion chamber, and at least one aperture fluidly connecting the propellant manifold to a sense-line passageway downstream from the venturi. A method of sensing conditions in a combustion chamber includes exposing an end of a sense line to the combustion chamber, creating a low static pressure in the sense line at a location upstream from the end, introducing a fluid at the location to purge the sense line, and sensing the conditions downstream from the location.

Abstract: Regulated pneumatic gas is supplied through a gas supply tube (14) which is welded to a pilot valve housing (18) which accommodates a solenoid valve (16). When the solenoid valve is electrically activated and opened, the pneumatic gas flows through a bifurcated channel (22) which is welded to the pilot valve housing and to a fuel valve mechanism (24A) and to an oxidizer valve mechanism (24B). The force of the pneumatic gas causes pistons (38A, 38B) to actuate respective poppets (36A, 36B). Movement of the poppets results in the dispensing of fuel propellant from a fuel outlet chamber (44A) and the dispensing of oxidizer from an oxidizer outlet chamber (44B). The fuel valve mechanism and oxidizer valve mechanism are positioned and oriented such that the exiting fuel and oxidizer are mixed in a vortex rocket engine.

Abstract: An injector assembly for a rocket engine includes a thermal insulating layer adjacent to an oxidizer cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for minimizing and/or preventing thermal degradation of fuel in a fuel injector is disclosed. The body of the injector includes a fuel gallery with a contoured scarf formed therein. The scarf is configured to minimize and/or prevent fuel recirculation thus reducing the likelihood that fuel will dwell in an area long enough to sufficient to cause the degradation of the fuel.

Abstract: This invention is a packaged propellant air-induced variable thrust rocket engine that has a vast number of uses and applications for this invention. The primary purpose of the device described here is to provide a light weight, torque and vibration free thrust generator for the propulsion of aircraft. This device will facilitate the fabrication of very light weight aircraft because of the lack these forces. This device can also be used anywhere high velocity air flow and or the resulting thrust is needed. The invention uses aerodynamic principles to compress and accelerate the incoming air, prior to it being heated and accelerated by a short duration burst of thermal and kinetic energy from discrete packets of a mixture of oxidizable fuels. The heated and accelerated air then expands as it travels thru the device providing thrust.

Abstract: A liquid propellant rocket engine with a propulsion chamber shutter, the rocket engine comprises a combustion chamber, a propellant injector device placed at an upstream first end of the combustion chamber, a nozzle throat disposed at a downstream second end of the combustion chamber remote from the upstream first end, and a diverging portion disposed downstream from the nozzle throat. A selective shutter device for the nozzle throat comprises an axially-symmetrical shutter member placed downstream from the nozzle throat, and axial rod for controlling the shutter member, a first short centering member for the control rod situated at the upstream first end of the combustion chamber level with the propellant injector device, a second short centering member for the control rod situated in the combustion chamber in the vicinity of the nozzle throat and upstream therefrom, and a system for returning the control rod of the selective shutter device for the nozzle throat to the closed position.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to electrocatalytically induce the decomposition of a liquid propellant for propulsion. This is accomplished by providing a reaction chamber filled with catalyst that has a first electrode, such as near the center, and the other electrode disposed away from the first electrode. A charge source that is capable of applying voltage is connected to the electrodes. When the reaction chamber is dosed with a propellant such as an aqueous based amine propellant, such as HAN, an electric current flows between the electrodes and the propellant. This initiates the decomposition of the propellant which is driven to completion by the catalyst bed in order to be used for power generation.

Abstract: A constant volume combustion chamber, combustor, and method for constant volume combustion involve combusting a fuel in a chamber sealed by a pintle having a conical portion fitted into a conical nozzle throat and pulling the pintle away from the nozzle throat to allow combustion products to exhaust through a nozzle outlet. The shapes and surfaces of the pintle and nozzle throat provide for sealing the chamber at high pressures while resisting surface wear. Operational parameters for the combustor may be computer controlled in response to measured pressures and temperatures in the combustor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a turbo pump in which a pump impeller is connected to one end of a rotary shaft and a turbine is connected to the other end of the rotary shaft. The turbo pump is designed such that an equivalent region, between a turbine efficiency curve obtained on the basis of a conditional expression where the number of rotations of the rotary shaft is maintained constant regardless of a pump flow rate and a turbine efficiency curve of an actual machine, becomes an operation region.

Abstract: There is provided an injector assembly having two or more oxidizer manifolds and/or two or more fuel manifolds for delivery of liquid propellants to a combustion chamber such that combustion instability is reduced or eliminated during throttling. Delivery of the oxidizer to the oxidizer manifolds is controlled by an oxidizer valve, which may comprise an integral valve. The oxidizer passes from the oxidizer manifolds into the oxidizer element and then into the combustion chamber. The multiple oxidizer manifolds allow the oxidizer to be provided through selective openings of the oxidizer element thus reducing the change in pressure drop across the oxidizer element to thereby reduce or eliminate combustion instability and other problems. Additionally, the injector assembly may also include a lift-off seal or a filler fluid source to fill any temporarily unused oxidizer manifolds with an oxidizer or filler fluid.

Abstract: The injector device for injecting a liquid mono-propellant with a large degree of flow rate modulation and an injection speed that is stable, and that is closable for extinction and re-ignition purposes, is disposed at an upstream end of the wall of a combustion chamber of a rocket engine. The device includes at least one feed channel for feeding mono-propellant from a tank, and first and second concentric annular speed-up channels connected to the feed channels and having outlets opening out respectively via first and second annular injection sections situated in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the chamber.

Abstract: A bi-propellant injector includes first and second injector elements and a spark exciter assembly. The first injector element has a conductive layer electrically connected to the spark exciter assembly and a nonconductive layer disposed on an exterior portion of the conductive layer. The second injector element comprises a conductive material and has an opening therethrough in fluid communication with a combustion chamber. An end of the first injector element is positioned at or near the opening in the second injector element. The spark exciter assembly can generate an electrical arc between the conductive layer of the first injector element and the second injector element.

Abstract: Disclosed is a propulsion system having a structural configuration that provides easy and convenient access to the interior regions of a liquid fuel tank and a hybrid rocket motor case. In one embodiment, the propulsion system comprises: a hybrid rocket motor case and a fuel tank coupled to the hybrid motor case. The motor case is configured to hold solid rocket fuel and the fuel tank defines an internal volume configured to hold a fluid oxidizer. A bulkhead is interposed between the motor case and the fuel tank, wherein at least one access passageway extends through the bulkhead. The access passageway provides exterior access to the interior volume of the motor case or the internal volume of the storage tank while the hybrid rocket motor is coupled to the fuel tank.

Abstract: A cap for a liquid propellant injection assembly of a rocket engine includes a cap body and a valve assembly. The cap body extends between first and second ends. The cap body has a bore that fluidly connects one or more inlets to an outlet. The inlets are disposed in a tubular sidewall of the cap body. The outlet is disposed in the second end of the cap body. The valve assembly includes a valve cap disposed around the first end of the cap body. The valve assembly is adapted to selectively regulate flow of a propellant through the inlets in the cap body as a function of pressure exerted by the propellant against the valve assembly.

Abstract: An improved coaxial injector for injecting first and second propellants into a combustion chamber of a rocket engine is provided. The injector includes a first plate, a second plate, a plurality of channels formed in the first plate, and a plurality of tubes extending through the second plate and into the plurality of channels. The tubes inject a first propellant, such as an oxidizer, into the combustion chamber, and the channels inject a second propellant, such as a fuel, around the tubes and into the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A propulsion system includes a canted multinozzle plate, which has a multitude of small nozzles angled (not perpendicular) to major surfaces of the multinozzle grid plate. The multinozzle plate may be a cylindrical section or plate, and the multitude of nozzles may be substantially axisymmetric about the cylindrical plate. The propulsion system includes a pressurized gas source which may be placed either forward or aft of the multinozzle grid plate. The propulsion system may have a conical insert, an internal flow separator cone, to aid in changing directions of flow from the pressurized gas source, to divert the flow through the multiple nozzles.

Abstract: An injection head for the combustion chamber of a rock propulsion unit has a base area with a plurality of injection elements distributed on it. Propellant constituents can be injected from each outlet of the injection elements into the combustion chamber, generating hot gases by a mixing and combustion of the propellant constituents in the combustion chamber, which hot gas can be accelerated to a high velocity for generating thrust. The base area of the injection head had a contoured shape which prevents or reduces the formation of zones of a reduced pressure, particularly between directly adjacent outlets.

Abstract: A liquid propelled rocket engine comprising a unique pintle injector, radial injector plate and ablative insert to improve combustion stability and reduce harmonic disturbance within the chamber. The injector plate is generally in the shape of a ring surrounding a combination spud and pintle injector, the two allowing at least one liquid propellant and one liquid oxidizer to be injected into the chamber. The injector plate has an array of injectors for injecting liquid propellant into the chamber and a series of cavities within allowing the harmonic disturbance to be damped and providing a more stable combustion environment. The number of cavities and the unique pintle injector's length and width are chosen to reduce harmonic disturbance in the longitudinal, radial and lateral modes. A method for designing engine components and tuning harmonic frequencies within a combustion chamber is also disclosed.

Abstract: Thrust augmentation in a rocket nozzle is achieved by incorporating injectors for the introduction of unburnt fuel and oxidizer into a nozzle to combust in the nozzle and thereby supplement the primary thrust that is supplied by fuel and oxidizer that are combusted prior to entry into the nozzle. These secondary injectors are incorporated into the design of expansion-deflection nozzles and plug nozzles. In expansion-deflection nozzles, the injectors are either in the flow deflector itself or in the wall of the divergent section of the nozzle. In plug nozzles, the injectors are either in a shell of the nozzle surrounding the forward end of the centerbody or in the centerbody itself.

Abstract: An injection device including at least one injection plate adjacent a combustion space of a combustion chamber, and at least one first injection nozzle including a first entry bore having a first discharge into the combustion chamber, and a first orifice bore, having a cross-sectional dimension less than or equal to the first entry bore, coaxially arranged with the first entry bore and remote from the first discharge. At least one second injection nozzle includes a second entry bore having a second discharge into the combustion chamber, and a second orifice bore, having a cross-sectional dimension less than or equal to the second entry bore, coaxially arranged with the second entry bore and remote from the second discharge. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: An ultra-compact aerovortical swirl-enhanced combustion (ASC) system features an aerovortical swirl generator for use in rocket thrusters utilizing hypergolic or non-hypergolic propellants. The ACS thruster can be sized for diameters ranging from about 0.5 to about 2.0 inches, and producing thrust levels of approximately 5 lbf to about 250 lbf. A plurality of helicoid flow channels in the swirl generator introduces swirl into a flow stream of a first propellant within ultra-compact sized rocket thrusters. The ASC system also includes injectors for introducing a second liquid propellant into the swirling flowfield to promote rapid and efficient atomization, mixing and vigorous combustion, which, results in major improvements in combustion and propulsion performance over current rocket thrusters, but in much shorter combustor systems.

Abstract: According to the invention, upstream of the injection means, the combustible propellant and the oxidant propellant are mixed at constant pressure; and to inject the said mixture of propellants at constant pressure into the combustion chamber (1), injection means (7 to 11) are chosen, making it possible to vary the flow rate of the said injected mixture.

Abstract: The electrolytic ignitor comprises an injector (2) constituting a first electrode and including a fuel injector device (26), an oxidizer injector device (27), and an electrolyte injector device (1), a second electrode (5) electrically insulated from the injector (2) by an insulator (4) and extending downstream beyond the injector (2), an electrolyte tank (12), a solenoid valve (11) interposed between the tank (12) and an electrolyte distribution channel (3) suitable for delivering electrolyte in the form of free jets through the electrolyte injector device constituted by at least one injection hole (1) situated in the vicinity of the fuel injector device (26) and the oxidizer injector device (27), and an electrical power supply circuit adapted to raise the second electrode (5) to a potential lying in the range 50 V to 1000 V relative to the potential of the first electrode.