Rocket motor with energetic grain having region with energetic disposed therein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10337457-B2
Application number	US-201615572535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2016
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

A rocket motor ( 20 ) includes a nozzle ( 22 ) and a solid propellant section ( 24 ) in communication with the nozzle. The solid propellant section includes a first energetic grain layer ( 38, 32 ) that has a top surface and a bottom surface, and a second energetic grain layer ( 40, 44 ) that has a top surface and a bottom surface. The second layer is located on top of the first layer. The bottom surface of the second energetic grain layer partially abuts the top surface of the first energetic grain layer, and the bottom surface of the second energetic grain layer and the top surface of the first energetic grain layer define a region ( 46, 48 ) therebetween. A powder energetic ( 49 ) is disposed in the region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solid propellant, comprising:
a first energetic grain layer having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a second energetic grain layer having a top surface and a bottom surface, the second layer on top of the first layer, wherein the bottom surface of the second energetic grain layer partially abuts the top surface of the first energetic grain layer, wherein the bottom surface of the second energetic grain layer and the top surface of the first energetic grain layer define a region there between; and
a powder energetic disposed in the region, wherein the powder energetic is a loose powder.

2. The solid propellant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the region is a micro-region.

3. The solid propellant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the powder energetic has a higher burn rate than the first energetic grain layer and the second energetic grain layer.

4. The solid propellant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the powder energetic substantially fills the region.

5. The solid propellant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the powder energetic partially fills the region such that there is open void space in the region.

6. The solid propellant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the region is a radially elongated slot.

7. The solid propellant as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first energetic grain layer includes the region and the second energetic grain layer is solid.

Assignees

• Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc

Inventors

• Lynch Michael D
• Johnson Richard

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• F02K9/12 Primary

  made of two or more portions burning at different rates {or having different characteristics} · CPC title

• F02K9/24

  Charging rocket engines with solid propellants; Methods or apparatus specially adapted for working solid propellant charges · CPC title

• B29C64/165

  using a combination of solid and fluid materials, e.g. a powder selectively bound by a liquid binder, catalyst, inhibitor or energy absorber · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title