RU175004U1 - CASCADE SUPERCONDUCTOR ROCKET ENGINE - Google Patents

Abstract

A cascade superconducting rocket engine belongs to the field of special methods and devices for generating jet thrust, not assigned to other subclasses (from the use of F02K combustion products). This utility model serves to simplify control of a rocket engine, improve its environmental qualities, specific impulse, traction and safety. Cascade superconducting rocket engines can be used by organizations, government bodies for: spaceships and other aircraft. The essence of the described device is, firstly, the possibility of using superconducting inductive energy storage devices (SPINE) as powerful and sufficiently long-lasting power sources for a rocket engine, which are sequentially are discharged by heating the refrigerant of already discharged SPINE; secondly, the use of most liquefied gases as ochih rocket motor bodies, thirdly, possible combinations of storage ergonomic working fluids and their use as a refrigerant for cooling kachetstve SPINE. Thus, the weight of an aircraft using the specified rocket engine can be significantly reduced, and its speed, thrust, environmental friendliness, and safety will increase.

Description

Headings of the international patent classification (IPC) of a utility model:

F03H - Special methods and devices for creating reactive thrust, not elsewhere classified (from the use of F02K combustion products).

The name of the utility model: "Cascade superconducting rocket engine."

The utility model relates to electric rocket engines.

The utility model can be applied in the creation of non-manned rocket vehicles, manned rocket vehicles (hereinafter referred to as “spacecraft”).

It is known from the prior art that spacecraft are currently propelled by: chemical reactive (rocket) internal combustion engines, electric rocket engines.

For launch and orbit flights, chemical rocket engines (HRE) are currently used. Most refrigerators use fuel and an oxidizing agent (together - fuel), the combustion products are heated in the combustion chamber to high temperatures, expanding, accelerate in a supersonic nozzle and flow out of the engine. Liquid and solid propellant rocket engines (LRE and TRD, respectively) are common. In turbojet engines, fuel and oxidizer are stored in the form of a mixture of solids, and the fuel tank simultaneously serves as a combustion chamber. In LRE fuel and oxidizer are in the liquid state of aggregation. They are fed into the combustion chamber using a turbopump or displacement feed system. LRE allow thrust regulation over a wide range, and multiple on and off, which is especially important when maneuvering in outer space. Both types of RCDs have sufficient specific impulses for launch and orbit (up to 4500 m / s). However, for maneuvering in orbit and movement in a space vacuum, the HRE is not convenient. Fuel has a significant mass, occupies a sufficiently large volume, and is also almost always either toxic or explosive. In order to use a chemical rocket engine in orbit, it is necessary to deliver the corresponding fuel reserves into orbit.

Electric rocket engines (EREs) use electric energy as a source of energy to create traction. The separation of the energy source and the accelerated substance makes it possible to ensure a high velocity of the expiration of the working fluid (RT), as well as a smaller mass of the spacecraft due to the reduction in the mass of stored RT. This allows you to increase the payload, or to improve the mass-dimensional characteristics of the spacecraft itself. The specific impulse of the electric propulsion can reach 10000-210000 m / s. Electric propulsion can be powered by solar panels, batteries, capacitors. Due to the imperfection of the applied power sources, the thrust of the existing electric propulsion engines is not large, so the acceleration of the spacecraft is tenths or even hundredths of the acceleration of gravity. EREs are characterized by not very high efficiency - from 30 to 60%.

The most famous organizations creating spacecraft are: SP Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia, NASA, SpaceX. These spacecraft use chemical rocket engines to launch and enter orbit and electric rocket engines to maneuver spacecraft.

The task of creating this utility model was to design such jet engines that would have a small mass, high efficiency, would be environmentally friendly, safe and easy to operate. When starting and entering orbit, these engines would use the type of RT that is optimal for flight conditions. Thus, electric superconducting jet engines would allow: launch, entry into orbit, making adjustments and maneuvers of spacecraft, and would also serve to quickly cover vast space distances by spacecraft.

The use of this utility model will result in the appearance of spacecraft that will be quite easy to maintain, relatively unpretentious to the type of RT, capable of traveling at high speed over significant space distances, environmentally friendly, cheap to use.

To solve this problem, it is necessary to implement the following significant decisions:

- develop special power sources for the system;

- calculate optimal work processes;

- design special conversion cameras;

- select the optimal working fluid to enter orbit and interact with the power source.

Thus, the essence of the utility model is a combination of special power sources, transformation chambers and an affordable and environmentally friendly working fluid. A cascade superconducting rocket engine (hereinafter referred to as “KSDR”) may resemble a chemical rocket engine or an electric rocket engine and can, in principle, be created by:

- selection as power sources of superconducting wires or tapes capable of conducting high electric currents and wound on coils in the form of tori (toroids),

- selection of a refrigerant that can cool the superconducting wires to superconducting temperatures for starting and at the same time serve as an effective working fluid when heating and ejecting gas from the nozzle (liquid hydrogen, liquid helium, liquid neon, liquid methane and other substances);

- designing a special transformation chamber with heating elements (for creating ohmic heating, heating with electric puff, heating with electromagnetic radiation and other methods).

As mentioned earlier, a satisfactory RRL thrust is achieved due to the fact that a high gas pressure is created inside the combustion chamber as a result of a chemical reaction, as a result, the gas outflow rate from the nozzle is high enough and the momentum imparted by the rocket to the gas jet is also high. At the same time, a high temperature (up to 4000 C) is formed in the RCD combustion chamber.

It is proposed to use electric power plants, which would include power sources and electrical energy storage devices. Such installations are superconducting inductive energy storage devices (SPINE), which are closed superconducting inductor coils immersed in compartments with refrigerant (liquefied gas). If such a solenoid is wound on a toroidal surface, then the magnetic field lines are contained inside the torus, and the scattering of the magnetic field outside the torus and its effect on any electrical devices is practically eliminated. An analogue of the combustion chamber of such an engine will be a “conversion chamber” filled with solid, liquid or gaseous refrigerant.

The electrical energy of each individual SPINE could be spent on sublimation, evaporation and heating of the refrigerant already in the conversion chamber or entering the conversion chamber from an additional tank or coming from the previously discharged SPINE. Thus, the very first SPINE in the process of electrical discharge would heat up the supply of refrigerant entering the conversion chamber from an additional tank or already in the conversion chamber. After the first SPINE is discharged, its winding no longer needs refrigerant to transfer the winding to a superconducting state. Therefore, the refrigerant from the discharged SPINE enters the conversion chamber, becoming a working fluid, which heats the next SPIN in the process of its discharge, and so on. The heating of the working fluid (refrigerant) in the conversion chamber can be carried out to the temperature and pressure that specific flight conditions require. Therefore, the KSRD can be equipped with a high pressure valve located between the conversion chamber and the nozzle.

One of the promising superconducting materials for the manufacture of superconducting windings of a SPINE coil could be material based on yttrium cuprates (usually referred to as “YBCO”). The density of the specified substance (p) is only 6.3 g / cm ³ (6300 kg / m ³ ). The critical temperature of superconductivity (TC) of YBCO is above 100 K, the critical field (BC) can be 70-100 T and above. In the indicated superconducting material, critical current densities (Jc) of the order of 7 × 10 ^ 6 A / cm ² are currently achieved (the sign “^” hereinafter indicates the degree). The conversion chamber must be designed to withstand high internal temperatures and pressures. A heating element is located inside the conversion chamber, due to which the magnetic energy stored in the SPINE or generated by solar panels is converted into heat. The current pulse from SPINE can last for a time t = L / r, where L is the inductance of the SPINE and r is the load resistance. It can be seen from this that, for example, in the case of an arc discharge of the SNINE, the load resistance (electric arc) is small and the pulse will last quite a long time. The current pulse can also be converted, aligned or stretched by the inverter, including direct current can be converted to alternating current, if required by the selected heating element.

The heating element in the conversion chamber can be made in the form of a solenoid, the current in which will increase and decay gradually. The specified heating element may be made of a material having a relatively high resistance, for example, graphite. The heating element can also be made in the form of electrodes, between which an electric discharge (electric arc) is created, which heats the refrigerant. The heating element may also be an electromagnetic radiation generator that heats the working fluid. The conversion chamber is filled with a working fluid (in a liquid, solid, gaseous state), the heating of which will create a reactive gas stream, which will give the necessary impulse to the spacecraft.

DACC may also contain separate containers for storing liquid working bodies.

The description is not attached to the figures of the drawings.

Let us calculate the energy generated by SPINE from YBCO. Suppose that a superconducting toroidal coil is located in a compartment with liquid hydrogen, the diameter of the compartment is 5 m and the height is 3 m, while SPINE creates a magnetic field with an induction of 50 T. The indicated field is obviously less than Vs at a given temperature for YBCO. Then the energy of such a spin:

W = B ² * V / 2 * μ * μ ₀ = 2500 * 58.875 / 2 * 1.25 * 10 ^ (- 6) = 58.875 GJ

here B is the value of magnetic induction, V is the volume of the torus, μ ₀ is the magnetic permeability (for calculations, we use the magnetic permeability of the vacuum μ ₀ = 1.25 × 10 ^ (- 6) GN / m).

The larger the torus volume, the more energy SPINE can store.

In order to estimate the mass and energy density of the SPINE from YBCO, we calculate the mass of the wire (suppose its cross section is 1 cm ² and a current flows through it with a density J = 5 * 10 ^ 6A / cm ² , obviously less than Jc) of which the SPINE winding consists. It is known that for a solenoid the magnetic field energy is also calculated by the formula:

W = L * I ^2/2, or L = 2W / I ²

where I is the current strength, L is the inductance of the solenoid. The inductance of a toroidal solenoid is also calculated by the formula:

L = μ ₀ * (Dd) * h * n ² / (D + d),

where n is the number of turns of the solenoid, D and d are the outer and inner diameters of the torus, respectively, h is the height of the torus. In our case, the torus occupies the entire cylindrical compartment, then the inner diameter of the torus d tends to zero, hence:

L = μ ₀ * h * n ² , hence: n ² = L / μ ₀ * h or through the energy W:

n ² = 2W / I ² * μ ₀ * h = 2 * 58.875 * 10 ^ 9/25 * 10 ^ 12 * 1.25 * 10 ^ (- 6) * 3 = 35.44

Substituting the already known values into the indicated formula, we obtain that the number of turns n is approximately 35. In the case of a torus with a rectangular section, the length of each turn of the torus is equal to the sum of the lengths of the sides (a and b) of its section:

2a + 2b = 2 * 2.5 + 2 * 3 = 11 m

Only 35 turns, then the length of all turns of the torus is approximately 11 * 35 = 385 m. Then, the volume of the superconducting wire is equal to the product of its cross section and its length: 0.0001 * 1120 = 0.0385 m ³ . Multiplying the resulting volume by the density of YBCO (6300 kg / m ³ ), we obtain the approximate mass of the superconducting wire: 242.55 kg. The density of energy stored by the superconducting wire will be about 243 MJ / kg.

At this stage of the calculations, it is already possible to roughly estimate the gain of the DAC in mass and dimensions compared to chemical rocket engines. It is possible to calculate how much mass of oxygen would be needed in order for energy to be released as a result of hydrogen oxidation, similar to the magnetic energy stored by SPINE. It is known that up to 140 MJ of thermal energy is released during the combustion of one kilogram of hydrogen. Thus, to release energy 58.875 GJ you need to burn 420 kg of hydrogen. But for the combustion reaction, oxygen is needed, which will weigh about 8 times more hydrogen. That is, the rocket must transport 3360 kg of oxygen (correspondingly occupying the volume of the rocket, about 3 m ³ ) so that the same energy appears as when using 242.55 kg of superconducting YBCO (occupying a small volume in the compartment with liquid hydrogen, about 0 , 04 m ³ ).

It turns out that the mass of a rocket using the DACF can be less than the mass of a rocket with a chemical rocket engine by more than 15 times. In this case, the dimensions of the rocket can be significantly reduced. In addition, one of the SPINEs can be located around the perimeter of the cockpit, thus protecting it with its magnetic field from the solar wind.

The previously calculated energy is spent on heating the working fluid. We will make calculations for the case when the working fluid will be hydrogen. The working fluid is heated to temperatures obviously exceeding their critical temperature.

The compartment with the superconducting wire may not be completely filled with liquid hydrogen, but only in the amount necessary for cooling the superconductor. Previously calculated 420 kg of hydrogen with a density of p = 70 kg / m ³ would take 6 m ³ , this would be enough to cool 0.0385 m ^{3 of a} superconducting wire.

If the entire compartment is occupied by liquid hydrogen (its remainder can be used, for example, using energy received already in space from solar panels), the mass of this liquid hydrogen is m = V * p = 58.875 * 70 = 4121 kg. Thus, each kilogram of hydrogen in a completely filled compartment can be communicated with energy:

W / m = 14.3 MJ.

We will calculate for cases where SPINE energy is spent on heating the entire refrigerant in the compartment with SPINE and on heating only part of the refrigerant, but to a high temperature.

In order to evaporate m = 1 kg of liquid hydrogen and heat it isochorically to a certain temperature, we need energy E, which will be equal to the sum of the heat of vaporization Qu = Cu * m and the heat of gas heating: Qн = Cν * m * (Тн-Тu). Where Cu is the specific heat of vaporization (448 kJ / kg), Cν is the specific heat of hydrogen at a constant volume (it is equal to the ratio Cp / y, where y = 1.4 is the adiabatic index of hydrogen, and Cp is the isobaric heat capacity (14 kJ / kg * K)) and Тн and Тu are the final heating temperature and evaporation temperature (for hydrogen - 20 K), respectively. I.e:

E = Qu + Qn = Cu * m + Cν * m * (Tn-Tu)

We substitute the value E = 14.3 MJ into this equation and find the temperature in the conversion chamber:

Tn = (E-Cu * m) / Cν * m + Tu = (14.3 * 10 ^ 6-448 * 10 ^ 3) / 10 ^ 4 + 20 = 1405.2 K

Applying calculations similar to those of a jet engine for a chemical rocket engine using the formula:

ν ² = 2 * y * R * T / M * (y-1)

we find the velocity of the reactive hydrogen jet for a temperature of 1405 K, ν = 6389 m / s.

Inside the KSRD conversion chamber, it is possible to achieve a working fluid temperature similar to that in the combustion chamber of a chemical rocket engine (4000 K). In this case, not all liquid hydrogen that can be in the section of the compartment will be consumed, but only part of the refrigerant filling the compartment with SPINE. Applying the well-known formula:

ν ² = 2 * y * R * T / M * (y-1)

we find the velocity of the reactive hydrogen jet at a temperature of 4000 K, ν = 10779 m / s.

The indicated speed is more than two times the rate of gas outflow from the combustion engine chambers operating on a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen (4500 m / s, today it is the maximum indicator for refrigeration control).

As already mentioned, in KSRD, in contrast to HRD, the temperature and pressure in the conversion chamber can be controlled by changing the current in the heating element and using a valve in the conversion chamber. Thus, the thrust and flow rate of the working fluid for various flight modes (starting from the ground, flying in outer space) will be regulated.

The technical result of the application of the described utility model will be the creation of such a rocket engine, which will have a high gas flow rate, high traction, environmental friendliness, safety. The specified engine will also be quite simple and cheap to operate.

The utility model can be materialized by creating an electric rocket engine with power sources in the form of SPINE in the form of toroidal coils (for example, from YBCO), which allow accumulating and preserving an electric current of the order of 5 * 10 ^ 6 A / cm ² . SPINE will be placed in compartments with refrigerants (for example, in liquid hydrogen), which will simultaneously be the working fluid. SPINE are connected by means of inverters and electronically controlled electrical keys to a heating element located in the conversion chamber. Refrigerant, which is heated and pressurized, is discharged through the nozzle into the conversion chamber from an additional tank or compartments with discharged SPINE through a pipe with a pump and a valve.

1 Cryogenic compartments can be made of the same materials used in the manufacture of some cryogenic plants (e.g. steel). Inside the cryogenic compartment contains refrigerant (for example, liquid hydrogen), which is also a working fluid. A superconducting inductor is also located inside the cryogenic compartment. The cryogenic compartment is connected to a pipe through which the working fluid (refrigerant) is pumped into the transformation chamber.

2 SPINE (superconducting inductive energy storage). It can be a toroidal solenoid made of a superconducting material (for example, YBCO). SPINE can be closed by means of superconducting electronic keys and connected using the same keys and inverters or only using the indicated keys with a heating element.

3 Electric keys made of superconducting material (e.g. YBCO). Under the influence of the electronic signal, the key region can be heated and the key that closes the SPINE "opens", on the contrary, the key connecting the SPINE and the heating element closes, then the electric current leaves the SPINE circuit to the heating element.

4 The inverter can be a combination of: a programmable current chopper connected in series with SPINE, a high-precision diode also connected in series with SPINE, after the current chopper and a capacitor connected in parallel with the heating element. Thus, the current chopper passes a certain number of charges before it is interrupted, some of which charge the capacitor, and some heat the heating element. During the interruption of the current, the capacitor discharges, but its charge falls only on the heater, since the diode prevents the charge from returning to the SPIN. Thus, by setting the current chopper in a certain way, it is possible to obtain a constant and even approximately equal in strength current on the heating element during the SPINE discharge time.

5 The refrigerant pipe may have double steel walls separated by vacuum. The pipe is connected to the valve (or valves) of the cryogenic compartments, through which the refrigerant is absorbed by the pump inside the pipe and enters through the valve into the conversion chamber.

6 Valves inside the pipe for a liquid working fluid and between the conversion chamber and the nozzle can be made of steel and resemble similar valves in a rocket engine running on liquid oxygen and hydrogen.

7 The conversion chamber can be made of steel using technologies for the production of autoclave containers. The conversion chamber may be connected to a refrigerant pipe. A heating element is located inside the conversion chamber. The conversion chamber is connected to the nozzle.

8 The heating element can be made of a material that is significantly heated due to the passage of electric current through it (for example, graphite or tungsten). Located inside the conversion chamber. It is connected to SPINE by means of electric start keys or specified keys and inverters.

9 The nozzle can be made of steel, geometrically reminiscent of the nozzles of chemical rocket engines for supersonic gas jets. Connected to the bottom of the conversion chamber.

At the start of a cascade superconducting rocket engine, the electric key connecting one of the SPINEs to the inverter and the heating element closes, the electric key closing this SPINES opens, and the electric current from the specified SPINE enters the heating element. The refrigerant from the additional tank enters through the pipe and valve into the conversion chamber, where the working fluid is heated and the resulting hot gas is ejected from the nozzle, creating an impulse for the spacecraft or rocket. Subsequently, the refrigerant enters the conversion chamber from the cryogenic compartment with the discharged SPINE and the next SPINE heats this refrigerant in a manner similar to that described above.

Thus, the useful model “Cascade superconducting rocket engine” allows you to create a rocket engine that is quite easy to operate, lightweight, environmentally friendly, safe and cheap to operate.

Claims (6)

1. A cascade superconducting rocket engine, characterized in that it has sources of electricity in the form of superconducting inductive energy storage devices (SPINE), and also has a conversion chamber where the heating element is located and inside which the refrigerant is heated; gas generated by heating exits the nozzle; at the same time, the current from each subsequent SPINE heats up the refrigerant entering the conversion chamber from the compartment with already discharged SPINE. 2. The cascade superconducting rocket engine according to claim 1, characterized in that its SPINE are superconducting inductors placed in the refrigerant in which the superconductor is wound on a toroidal surface. 3. A cascade superconducting rocket engine according to claim 1, characterized in that it has an ohmic type heating element, the heating of which occurs when an electric current passes through it. 4. A cascade superconducting rocket engine according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a heating element in the form of electrodes that create an electric arc discharge. 5. A cascade superconducting rocket engine according to claim 1, characterized in that it has a heating element in the form of an electromagnetic radiation generator that heats the refrigerant in the conversion chamber. 6. The cascade superconducting rocket engine according to claim 1, characterized in that its toroidal superconducting coil surrounds the crew compartment, thus, the solar wind is delayed by the magnetic field of the coil.