Microfluidic homogeneous catalyzation systems and methods, and apparatuses incorporating same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10794332-B2
Application number	US-201615354508-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2016
Priority date	Nov 17, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for generating hot gases based on catalyzation involving flowing catalyst. Catalysis occurs in a flow-type mixing catalyzation channel in which a liquid catalyst mixes with a liquid reactant flowing in a desired flow regime, such as a striated (laminar) flow regime or a slug flow regime. Devices such as micro-thrusters for satellite and other applications and hot gas generators for powering another device, such as an electrical generator, can be made using one or more flow-type mixing catalyzation channels.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A catalyzation system, comprising:
a liquid monopropellant source containing a liquid monopropellant, wherein the liquid monopropellant is an oxidizer;
a liquid catalyst solution source containing a liquid catalyst solution, wherein the liquid catalyst solution includes;
a catalyst selected to catalyze decomposition of the oxidizer, and a combustible polar solvent containing oxygen to promote combustion;
an elongated mixing catalyzation channel having:
a hydraulic diameter less than 5 mm;
a liquid monopropellant inlet in fluid communication with the liquid monopropellant source; and
a liquid catalyst solution inlet in fluid communication with the liquid catalyst solution source and located proximate to the liquid monopropellant inlet; and
a flow control system designed and configured to control flow of each of the liquid monopropellant and the liquid catalyst solution to, respectively, the liquid monopropellant inlet and the liquid catalyst solution inlet so as to create one of either 1) striated laminar flow and 2) slug flow in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel.

2. The catalyzation system according to claim 1 , wherein the hydraulic diameter is between 500 μm and 5 mm, and the flow control system is designed and configured to control flow of each of the liquid monopropellant and the liquid catalyst solution so as to create striated laminar flow in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel.

3. The catalyzation system according to claim 1 , further comprising a gas source containing a gas, wherein:
the hydraulic diameter is between 5 μm and 500 μm;
the elongated mixing catalyzation channel has a gas inlet in fluid communication with the gas source; and
the flow control system is designed and configured to control flow of each of the liquid monopropellant, the liquid catalyst solution, and the gas to, respectively, the liquid monopropellant inlet, the liquid catalyst solution inlet, and the gas inlet so as to create the slug flow in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel.

4. The catalyzation system according to claim 1 , wherein the elongated mixing catalyzation channel has a serpentine geometry to increase a residence time of the liquid monopropellant and the liquid catalyst solution in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel without increasing total system dimensions.

5. The catalyzation system according to claim 1 , wherein the combustible polar solvent contains alcohol.

6. The catalyzation system according to claim 5 , wherein the liquid monopropellant is selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen peroxide based monopropellant, a hydroxylammonium-nitrate (HAN) based monopropellant, and an ammonium dinitrate (ADN) based monopropellant.

7. The catalyzation system of claim 1 , wherein the liquid monopropellant and the combustible polar solvent have a ratio relative to one another in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel, and the flow control system is further designed and configured to control the ratio between the liquid monopropellant and the combustible polar solvent so as to control relative amounts of the decomposition and combustion.

8. A propulsion thruster, comprising:
the catalyzation system according to claim 1 , wherein the elongated mixing catalyzation channel:
has a longitudinal length and a first end and a second end spaced from one another along the longitudinal length, and the liquid monopropellant inlet and the liquid catalyst solution inlet are located proximate the first end; and an outlet located at the second end; and
a propulsion nozzle in fluid communication with the outlet of the elongated mixing catalyzation channel.

9. The propulsion thruster of claim 8 , wherein the liquid monopropellant and the combustible polar solvent have a ratio relative to one another in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel, and the flow control system is further designed and configured to control the ratio between the liquid monopropellant and the combustible polar solvent so as to control relative amounts of the decomposition and the combustion occurring within the elongated mixing catalyzation channel and, correspondingly, an amount of thrust provided by the propulsion thruster.

10. The catalyzation system of claim 6 , wherein:
the liquid monopropellant is a hydrogen peroxide based monopropellant and the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of Fe(III)Cl 3 , Fe(II)Cl 3 , Mn0 4 , and KI; or
the liquid monopropellant is a hydroxlammonium-nitrate (HAN) based monopropellant and the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of Ir/A 2 O 3 and Pt/A 2 O 3 ; or

the liquid monopropellant is an ammonium dinitramide (ADN) based monopropellant and the catalyst is selected from the group consisting of NH 4+ and H 2+ .

11. The propulsion thruster according to claim 8 , further comprising a gas source containing a gas, wherein:
the hydraulic diameter is between 5 μm and 500 μm; and
the elongated mixing catalyzation channel has a gas inlet in fluid communication with the gas source; and
the flow control system is designed and configured to control flow of each of the liquid monopropellant, the liquid catalyst solution, and the gas to, respectively, the liquid monopropellant inlet, the liquid catalyst solution inlet, and the gas inlet so as to create the slug flow in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel.

12. The propulsion thruster according to claim 8 , wherein the elongated mixing catalyzation channel has a serpentine geometry to increase a residence time of the liquid monopropellant and the liquid catalyst in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel without increasing total system dimensions.

13. The propulsion thruster according to claim 8 , wherein the liquid catalyst solution contains an alcohol.

14. The propulsion thruster according to claim 13 , wherein the liquid monopropellant comprises hydrogen peroxide.

15. A spacecraft, comprising:
a liquid monopropellant storage reservoir containing a liquid monopropellant, wherein the liquid monopropellant is an oxidizer;
a liquid catalyst solution storage reservoir containing a liquid catalyst solution, wherein the liquid catalyst solution includes a catalyst selected to catalyze decomposition of the oxidizer; and
a combustible polar solvent containing oxygen to promote combustion;
a propulsion thruster that includes:
an elongated mixing catalyzation channel having:
a hydraulic diameter less than 5 mm;
a liquid monopropellant inlet in fluid communication with the liquid monopropellant storage reservoir;
a liquid catalyst solution inlet located proximate to the liquid monopropellant inlet, the liquid catalyst solution inlet in fluid communication with the liquid catalyst solution storage reservoir; and
an outlet located distally from the liquid monopropellant inlet and the liquid catalyst solution inlet; and
a propelling nozzle located proximate to the outlet of the elongated mixing catalyzation channel and in fluid communication with the elongated mixing catalyzation channel; and

a flow control system designed and configured to control flow of each of the liquid monopropellant and the liquid catalyst solution to, respectively, the liquid monopropellant inlet and the liquid catalyst solution inlet so as to create one of either 1) striated laminar flow and 2) slug flow in the elongated mixing catalyzation channel.

16. The spacecraft according to claim 15 , wherein the hydraulic diameter is between 500 μm and 5 mm, and the flow control system is designed and configured to control flow of the liquid monopropellant and the liquid catalyst solution so as

Assignees

• The Univ Of Vermont And State Agricultural College

Inventors

• Gagne Kevin R
• Hitt Darren L
• McDevitt Michael Ryan

Classifications

• B64G1/402

  Propellant tanks; Feeding propellants · CPC title

• B64G1/401

  Liquid propellant rocket engines (Ion or plasma engines B64G1/413; Arcjets and other resistojets B64G1/415) · CPC title

• B64G1/26

  using jets · CPC title

• F02K9/94

  Re-ignitable or restartable rocket- engine plants; Intermittently operated rocket-engine plants · CPC title

• F02K9/88

  using auxiliary rocket nozzles · CPC title