Nozzle having a variable neck section for a spacecraft thruster provided with a mobile needle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003195-A1
Application number	US-201414773081-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2014
Priority date	Mar 7, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A nozzle of variable throat section for an aerospace vehicle thruster, the nozzle including a cylindrical housing presenting a throat of aperture diameter less than the diameter of the housing, and a needle suitable for sliding inside the housing between a high discharge rate front position in which the nose is set back from the throat of the housing, and a low discharge rate rear position in which the nose is in abutment against the throat, the needle including a rod for sliding inside the housing of the nozzle, the rod terminating in a nose of decreasing diameter. The nose of the rod is suitable for coming into abutment against the throat of the nozzle housing forming a seat and includes at least two axial grooves formed in its outer periphery to allow gas to pass when the nose is axially in abutment against the throat of the housing of the nozzle.

First claim

1 . A nozzle of variable throat section for an aerospace vehicle thruster, the nozzle comprising:
a cylindrical housing presenting, at a rear end, a throat of aperture diameter less than a diameter of the cylindrical housing; and a needle suitable for sliding inside the cylindrical housing between a high discharge rate front position in which a nose of the needle is axially set back from the throat of the cylindrical housing, and a low discharge rate rear position in which the nose of the needle is axially in abutment against the throat of the cylindrical housing, the needle comprising a cylindrical rod for sliding inside the cylindrical housing of the nozzle, the rod terminating at a rear end in a nose of decreasing diameter, the nose of the rod being suitable for coming axially into abutment against the throat of the cylindrical housing forming a seat; wherein the nose of the rod of the needle includes at least two axial grooves formed in its outer periphery to allow gas to pass when the nose is axially in abutment against the throat of the cylindrical housing of the nozzle.

2 . A nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein the nose of the rod of the needle presents a conical shape.

3 . A nozzle according to claim 1 , wherein the nose of the rod of the needle terminates in a portion of cylindrical shape and of diameter smaller than the diameter of the rod.

4 . A nozzle according claim 1 , wherein the grooves in the nose of the rod of the needle are regularly spaced apart from one another.

5 . A nozzle according to claim 4 , wherein the nose of the rod of the nozzle has three grooves spaced apart at 120° from one another.

6 . An aerospace vehicle thruster including a nozzle of variable section according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Herakles

Inventors

• Clermont Mathieu
• Sorgeon Sylvain
• Larrieu Jean-Michel

Classifications

• F02K9/805

  servo-mechanisms or control devices therefor · CPC title

• F02K9/86 Primary

  using nozzle throats of adjustable cross- section {(F02K9/978 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F02K1/08

  by axially moving or transversely deforming an internal member, e.g. the exhaust cone · CPC title

• F02K9/26

  Burning control {(F02K9/10, F02K9/34, F02K9/86, F02K9/92 and F02K9/94 take precedence)} · CPC title