Electrochemical rocket motor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12060852-B2
Application number	US-202117454691-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 12, 2021
Priority date	Nov 12, 2021
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

Solid rocket motors are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a solid rocket motor includes a housing containing thin layers of fuel and thin layers of an inert oxidizer, separated by a thin nonconductive layer. The housing has a nozzle at the end for gas release and channeling. Prior to use, the inert oxidizer is activated by electrochemical oxidation which can generate an active oxidizer and additional fuel. Ignition of the oxidizer and fuel can be triggered whereby the contents of the housing can ignite, generating hot gasses to be channeled out through the nozzle to generate thrust. Replacing current state solid rocket motors with embodiments described herein can improve cost, safety and increase capability. The disclosed embodiments can be safe to transport, store, and handle. Additionally, there can be no moving parts unlike hybrid or liquid rocket motors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrochemical rocket, comprising:
a rocket body;
a motor disposed within the rocket body, the motor comprising:
an oxidizable framework comprising an oxidizable material, the oxidizable material being electrochemically convertible such that during electrical charging, at least a portion of the oxidizable material is converted into an active oxidizer, and a first conductive framework in electrical communication with the oxidizable material;
a reducible framework comprising a reducible material, which, during charging, is at least partially reducible to a fuel and a second conductive framework in electrical communication with the reducible material; and
a non-electrically conductive separator positioned between and electrically separating the oxidizable material and the reducible material; and

a nozzle fluidically connected to an end of the motor, wherein the nozzle is shaped to generate thrust by discharging combustion gases;
wherein, prior to charging, the oxidizable material and the reducible material are substantially inert and wherein after charging, in use, the active oxidizer and the fuel can be combined to combust, and thereby create the combustion gases discharged through the nozzle and generate a thrust.

2. The electrochemical rocket of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism for piercing the non-electrically conductive separator.

3. The electrochemical rocket of claim 1 , wherein the thrust is controlled by partially charging the oxidizable material and the reducible material.

4. The electrochemical rocket of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizable material and the reducible material are shaped as thin spiral sleeves separated by thin spiral sleeves of the non-electrically conductive separator.

5. The electrochemical rocket of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizable material and the reducible material are configured in thin planar layers separated by thin planar layers of the non-electrically conductive separator.

6. The electrochemical rocket of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizable material and the reducible material are arranged in an interdigitated array.

7. The electrochemical rocket of claim 1 , wherein the oxidizable material and the reducible material comprise thin, flat layers.

8. The electrochemical rocket of claim 1 , further comprising a thermal decomposition trigger configured to produce thermal energy or heat to melt the non-electrically conductive separator.

9. An electrochemical motor, comprising:
a housing enclosing an interior space, the interior space of the housing comprising:
an oxidizable framework comprising an oxidizable material, the oxidizable material being electrochemically convertible such that during electrical charging, at least a portion of the oxidizable material is converted into an active oxidizer;
a reducible framework comprising a reducible material, which, during charging, is at least partially reducible to a fuel; and
a non-electrically conductive separator positioned between the oxidizable material and the reducible material;
wherein, prior to charging, the oxidizable material and the reducible material are substantially inert and wherein after charging, in use, the active oxidizer and the fuel can be combined to combust, and thereby create combustion gases discharged through a nozzle and generate a thrust.

10. The electrochemical motor of claim 9 , wherein the reducible framework is converted into the fuel.

11. The electrochemical motor of claim 9 , wherein the thrust is controlled by partially charging the oxidizable material and partially charging the reducible material.

12. The electrochemical motor of claim 9 , wherein the oxidizable material and the reducible material are spiral sleeves of thin layers separated by spiral sleeves of thin layers of the non-electrically conductive separator.

13. The electrochemical motor of claim 9 , wherein the oxidizable material and the reducible material comprise planar layers separated by thin planar layers of the non-electrically conductive separator.

14. The electrochemical motor of claim 9 , wherein the oxidizable material and the reducible material are arranged in an interdigitated array.

15. The electrochemical motor of claim 9 , wherein the oxidizable material and the reducible material comprise thin, flat layers.

16. A method for using an electrochemical rocket motor comprising: orienting the electrochemical rocket motor, the electrochemical rocket motor comprising: a housing enclosing an interior space, the interior space of the housing comprising: an oxidizable framework comprising an oxidizable material, the oxidizable material being electrochemically convertible such that during electrical charging, at least a portion of the oxidizable material is converted into an active oxidizer, and a first conductive framework in electrical communication with the oxidizable material; a reducible framework comprising a reducible material, which, during charging, is at least partially reducible to a fuel and a second conductive framework in electrical communication with the reducible material, wherein prior to charging, the oxidizable material and the reducible material are substantially inert; a non-electrically conductive separator positioned between and electrically separating the oxidizable material and the reducible material; and a nozzle fluidically connected to an end of the electrochemical rocket motor for channeling gas release; charging the oxidizable material by electrochemically oxidizing the oxidizable material into the active oxidizer; triggering an ignition of the oxidizable material and the fuel to produce hot gases by combining the active oxidizer and the fuel to create combustion gases; and channeling the combustion gases through the nozzle to generate thrust.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the triggering occurs via piercing the non-electrically conductive separator.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the triggering occurs via electrically sparking a hole in the non-electrically conductive separator.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the triggering occurs via thermally melting the non-electrically conductive separator.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein an amount of thrust generated is controlled.

Assignees

• Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Nemanick Eric Joseph
• Hsu Andrea
• Schilling John
• Desain John
• Brady Brian
• Cortopassi Andrew

Classifications

• F02K9/10

  Shape or structure of solid propellant charges · CPC title

• F02K9/24 Primary

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

• F02K9/38 Primary

  Safety devices, e.g. to prevent accidental ignition · CPC title