Apparatus and method for manufacturing propellant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12172940-B2
Application number	US-202117354310-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2021
Priority date	Jun 23, 2020
Publication date	Dec 24, 2024
Grant date	Dec 24, 2024

Abstract

A propellant manufacturing method for manufacturing a propellant including a propellant grain having a first surface on which combustion starts upon ignition and a second surface to be coupled to a wall surface that prevents combustion. The manufacturing method includes placing a portion of first propellant having a first burning rate in a first space containing a first position on the second surface; and placing a portion of second propellant having a second burning rate higher than the first burning rate in a second space containing a second position on the first propellant. The method further includes placing a portion of third propellant having a third burning rate higher than the second burning rate in a third space containing a third position on the first propellant. The method further includes completing the propellant grain by simultaneously hardening the entireties of the first propellant, the second propellant, and the third propellant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A manufacturing method for a propellant which comprises a propellant grain having a first surface on which combustion starts upon ignition and a second surface to be coupled to a wall surface that prevents the combustion,
placing a portion of first propellant having a first burning rate in a first space containing a first position on the second surface;
placing a portion of second propellant having a second burning rate higher than the first burning rate in a second space containing a second position on the first propellant;
placing a portion of third propellant having a third burning rate higher than the second burning rate in a third space containing a third position on the first surface; and
completing the propellant grain by simultaneously and completely hardening entireties of the first propellant, the second propellant, and the third propellant.

2. The manufacturing method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
depositing a first layer containing the first propellant along the wall surface;
depositing a second layer containing the second propellant on the first layer; and
depositing a third layer containing the third propellant on the first surface.

3. The manufacturing method according to claim 2 , wherein the wall surface comprises an inner side surface of a pressure vessel at least a portion of which is cylindrical,
wherein the propellant grain is shaped cylindrical and has an outer side surface contained in the second surface and an inner side surface contained in the first surface, the outer side surface of the propellant grain being in contact with the inner side surface of the pressure vessel,
wherein at least a portion of the first layer is cylindrical and has an outer side surface and an inner side surface, and at least a portion of the outer side surface of the first layer forms at least a portion of the outer side surface of the propellant grain, and
wherein at least a portion of the third layer is cylindrical and has an outer side surface and an inner side surface, and at least a portion of the inner side surface of the third layer forms at least a portion of the inner side surface of the propellant grain.

4. The manufacturing method according to claim 3 , wherein depositing the second layer comprises depositing the second layer such that a surface of the first propellant is in contact with the wall surface and the second propellant, and
wherein depositing the third layer comprises depositing the third layer such that a surface of the second propellant is covered with the wall surface, the first propellant, and the third propellant.

5. The manufacturing method according to claim 3 , wherein the wall surface includes a surface of a restrictor, and
wherein the manufacturing method further comprises placing the restrictor such that the restrictor is coupled to an end surface of the first propellant.

6. The manufacturing method according to claim 3 , further comprising forming a flange portion containing the second propellant, the flange portion being coupled to one end surface of the second layer that is shaped cylindrical, to one end surface of the first layer that is shaped cylindrical, and to the inner side surface of the pressure vessel.

7. The manufacturing method according to claim 3 , further comprising preparing at least one of the first propellant, the second propellant, and the third propellant by mixing propellants that have different burning rates.

8. The manufacturing method according to claim 3 , wherein depositing the first layer comprises laminating a plurality of unit layers respectively containing propellants that have different burning rates from each other in an order of the burning rates.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 3 , wherein depositing the first layer comprises laminating a plurality of unit layers, and
wherein each of the plurality of unit layers contains propellants that have different burning rates from each other.

10. A propellant manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a propellant grain having a first surface on which combustion starts upon ignition and a second surface to be coupled to a wall surface that prevents the combustion, the propellant manufacturing apparatus comprising:
a support device configured to support the wall surface;
a propellant supplying device configured to supply unhardened propellants;
a head configured to eject the unhardened propellants;
a head moving device configured to move the head to adjust a position of the head with respect to the wall surface; and
a control device configured to control the support device, the head, and the head moving device,
wherein the head is configured to:
place first propellant contained in the unhardened propellants in a space containing a position on the wall surface; and
place second propellant and third propellant contained in the unhardened propellants in a space containing a predetermined position under control of the control device, the second propellant having a burning rate different from that of the first propellant, the third propellant having a burning rate different from those of the first propellant and the second propellant, and

wherein the propellant manufacturing apparatus further comprises a hardening device configured to complete the propellant grain by simultaneously and completely hardening entireties of the first propellant, the second propellant, and the third propellant.

11. The propellant manufacturing device according to claim 10 , wherein the wall surface comprises an inner side surface of a pressure vessel coupled to the second surface of the propellant grain,
wherein the inner side surface of the pressure vessel comprises a cylindrical inner side surface that is rotationally symmetric around an axis of rotation,
wherein the support device is configured to control a relative position between the pressure vessel and the head in a circumferential direction of the pressure vessel by rotating the pressure vessel around the axis of rotation under control of the control device,
wherein the head moving device is configured to control the relative position between the pressure vessel and the head in a radial direction of the pressure vessel and a direction of the axis of rotation under control of the control device.

12. The propellant manufacturing device according to claim 10 , wherein the propellant supplying device comprises:
a plurality of vessels configured to supply a plurality of propellants that have different burning rates; and
a mixer configured to produce propellant that has a desired burning rate by mixing the plurality of propellants with a predetermined ratio under control of the control device.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Nishikawa Seiki
• Mihara Chiyako
• Suzuki Tasuku
• Ieki Katsunori

Classifications

• F02K9/10

  Shape or structure of solid propellant charges · CPC title

• C06B45/12

  having contiguous layers or zones · CPC title

• C06B21/0058 Primary

  by casting a curable composition, e.g. of the plastisol type · CPC title

• C06B21/0033 Primary

  Shaping the mixture · CPC title