RU2559030C2 - Laser rocket engine (versions) - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: engines and pumps.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to jet engines of airborne vehicles, primarily, orbital and aerospace vehicles. Laser rocket engine (version 1) comprises the system of two reflecting and focusing mirrors (3) and (4) arranged in sealed pre-chamber (5) communicated with absorption chamber (7) via gas-dynamic opening (6), working fluid feed system, supersonic nozzle (8) and cooling channel (9). Laser radiation is fed in pre-chamber (5) by two solid cooled openings (2), a used laser translucent. Note here that pressure in said pre-chamber (5) is higher than that in absorption chamber (7) while two mirrors (1) reflecting the external laser radiation are located outside said laser rocket engine. Laser rocket engine (version 2) comprises the system of two reflecting and focusing mirrors (3) and (4) arranged in sealed pre-chamber (5) communicated with absorption chamber (7) via gas-dynamic opening (6), working fluid feed system, a manifold (10), supersonic nozzle (8) and cooling channel (9). Laser radiation is fed in said pre-chamber (5) via circular solid cooled opening (2), laser translucent. Note here that pressure in pre-chamber (5) is higher than that in absorption chamber (7). Note also that comical mirror (1) reflecting external laser radiation to engine is located outside said laser rocket engine. Optical centres of external and internal reflecting mirrors (1) and (3) and solid openings (2) are located on one axis.

EFFECT: higher efficiency, specific pulse and longer life.

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Description

The invention relates to jet engines of aircraft, mainly orbital and aerospace vehicles.

Known laser rocket engine (LRE) (RF patent No. 2266420, MPK F02K 7/00, F24J 2/06, B64G 1/26, published 20.12.2005), which contains a source of pulsed-periodic laser radiation, an optical node with a radiation concentrator and reflectors, a system for the formation of a flat radiation front and a gas-dynamic unit coaxial with the concentrator. The forming system receives and matches the aperture of the laser beam with the dimensions of the optical node. The first concentrator reflector is made in the form of a cone-shaped rotation figure with a generatrix surface in the form of a part of a short-focus parabola. The gas-dynamic unit is made in the form of a pressure pulse receiver located on the back side and on the basis of the first reflector, as well as a jet nozzle mounted at a distance from the base and forming a slit for introducing laser radiation. The concentrator is equipped with an additional reflector, coaxial with the first reflector and made in the form of a rotation figure, the surface of which is an arc. This additional reflector is placed in the path of the beam focused by the first reflector so that the focal region of the concentrator is located in the region of the slit.

A known laser rocket engine and a method of organizing a workflow therein (US patent No. 4036012, IPC Н05Н 1/24, published July 19, 1977), the closest in technical essence to the claimed and adopted for the prototype. A laser rocket engine includes a continuous source of laser radiation, a system of rotary and focusing mirrors, an absorption chamber with a gas-dynamic window, a nozzle, a system for supplying a working fluid to the absorption zone from the gas-dynamic window, and cylinders with a working fluid. A laser rocket engine operates as follows. The laser beam, incident on a system of rotary and focusing mirrors, is focused through a gas-dynamic window in the absorption zone, where the working fluid - hydrogen is fed, while the working fluid with deuterium is added to the absorption zone to initiate an optical discharge and the formation of a plasma core, heating the working fluid, which flows around the plasma core and flows out of the supersonic nozzle, forming a jet stream.

The main disadvantages of both the prototype and the analogue are the inefficient operation of the gas-dynamic windows (GDO) of the LRE data in the upper rarefied layers of the Earth’s atmosphere, and even more so under conditions of space vacuum. Inefficiency manifests itself in the form of the appearance of reverse currents of the working fluid from the absorption chamber (KP) through the GDO and their leakage into the environment, which leads to a decrease in the specific impulse of the LRE.

In addition, the relatively high expected specific impulse and the provision of stable “burning” of a continuous optical discharge (NRA) suggest a small flow rate of the working fluid with a low NRA blowing rate. These requirements impose restrictions on the effective operation of the gas pressure generator, therefore, in order for the gas pressure generator to cope with its task, the pressure drop between the gearbox and the environment must be small, and as a result, it is difficult to achieve a pressure drop of a critical drop in the minimum section of the LRE nozzle, and this also leads to a decrease in the specific impulse and thrust of the rocket engine in the atmosphere.

In space conditions (where the pressure is almost zero), the absorption chamber with the gas turbulence will have a supercritical drop both from the nozzle side and from the gas turbulent side, and as a result there will be two thrusts whose vectors are directed in different directions, which will significantly reduce the specific LRE pulse.

The technical result, which the invention is aimed at, is to increase the efficiency, specific impulse and life of the LRE.

The technical result (option 1) is achieved by the fact that in a laser rocket engine (Fig. 1) containing a system of reflecting and focusing mirrors, a gas-dynamic window, an absorption chamber, a working fluid supply system, a supersonic nozzle, a cooling duct, the system is new two reflecting and focusing mirrors is located in a sealed preliminary chamber, in communication with the absorption chamber by means of a gas-dynamic window, the input for laser radiation into the preliminary chamber is provided by two solid cooled CNAM transparent to the laser radiation used species, while the pressure in the antechamber is higher than in the absorption chamber, and two mirrors reflecting the laser light outside, are disposed outside the laser rocket engine.

The technical result (option 2) is achieved by the fact that in a laser rocket engine containing a system of reflective and focusing mirrors, a gas-dynamic window, an absorption chamber, a supply system of a working fluid, a cooling duct, a supersonic nozzle, the new is that the system of conical reflective and focusing mirrors located in a sealed preliminary chamber in communication with the absorption chamber by means of a gas-dynamic window; the laser radiation inlet into the preliminary chamber is provided by a ring solid cooled m a window that is transparent to laser radiation, and the pressure in the preliminary chamber is higher than in the absorption chamber, and a conical mirror reflecting the external laser radiation into the engine is located outside the laser rocket engine.

The optical centers of the outer, inner reflecting mirrors and the solid window are on the same axis.

Figure 1 presents a diagram of a laser rocket engine (option 1).

Figure 2 presents a diagram of a laser rocket engine (option 2).

The laser rocket engine (Fig. 1) contains two external rotary mirrors 1, transparent for introducing a laser beam, two solid windows 2, two internal rotary mirrors 3, a focusing mirror (hub) 4, a sealed preliminary chamber 5, a gas-dynamic window 6, an absorption chamber 7, a supersonic nozzle 8, an engine cooling path 9, a working fluid supply system — a collector 10.

Laser rocket engine operates as follows. The laser beam, reflected from two rotary mirrors 1, passing through solid windows 2, enters a sealed preliminary chamber 5, where, reflected from two rotary mirrors 3 and using a focusing mirror 4, it is focused through the gas-dynamic window 6 in the absorption chamber 7. To initiate A continuous optical discharge along with the working fluid is supplied with an aerosol with alkali metal salts, which lowers the breakdown threshold of the optical discharge. In the resulting continuous optical discharge, the absorption of the laser beam mainly occurs in the process opposite to the bremsstrahlung. The resulting continuous optical discharge is gasdynamically stabilized in the axial region of the absorption chamber, blown around by the axisymmetric axial flow of the working fluid flowing out of the gasdynamic window. The working fluid, such as hydrogen, entering the gas-dynamic window 6 through the cooling path 9, cools the walls of the LRE absorption chamber 7 and solid windows 2. The working fluid, which flows around and partially passes through the NOR plasma, heats up and expires, accelerating in the supersonic nozzle 8, forming a supersonic reactive a stream.

At high levels of laser radiation power, solid windows made of transparent dielectrics can work for relatively short periods.

An increase in the operating life of solid LRE windows is achieved by increasing the area of the windows, which proportionally reduces the energy and heating of a unit area of the window.

For uniform cooling of the windows 2 of the preliminary chamber 5, a cold working fluid, for example, gaseous or liquid hydrogen, is pumped through a collector 10 having openings around the perimeter of the windows 2. The working fluid coming through the collector 10 to the preliminary chamber 5 leads to the appearance of excessive pressure compared to the environment. The creation of excess pressure in the preliminary chamber in front of the GDO and, as a consequence, a decrease in the pressure drop between the absorption chamber 7 and the preliminary chamber 5 (at the entrance to the gas-dynamic window 6 (GDO 6)) will allow higher pressures in the absorption chamber to be created 7. Increasing the pressure in the absorption chamber 7 LRE leads to an increase in the efficiency and specific impulse of the LRE.

When such an engine is operating from the side of the preliminary chamber 5, that is, in the channel of the gas turbine generator 6, a gas cushion is formed that prevents the working fluid from flowing from the absorption chamber 7 through the gas cylinder 6 to the side of the preliminary chamber 5. The flow will only be possible from the preliminary chamber 5 to the absorption chamber 7 that will correspond to the normal operation of the LRE.

Laser rocket engine (figure 2) contains a conical reflecting mirror 1, an annular solid window 2, a conical reflecting mirror 3, a focusing mirror 4, a preliminary sealed chamber 5, GDO 6, an absorption chamber 7, a supersonic nozzle 8, a cooling duct 9, a cooling system windows - collector 10.

Laser rocket engine (figure 2) works as follows.

External laser radiation, reflected from the conical mirror 1, passes through a solid annular window 2 into the preliminary sealed chamber 5, where, reflected from the conical mirror 3, it enters the focusing mirror 4. The further process occurs, as in the previous engine. Due to the annular solid window 1, the specific thermal load on the window is significantly lower.

Claims (2)

1. A laser rocket engine containing a system of reflective and focusing mirrors, a gas-dynamic window, an absorption chamber, a supply system of a working fluid, a cooling path, a supersonic nozzle, characterized in that the system of two reflective and focusing mirrors is located in a sealed preliminary chamber in communication with the absorption chamber by means of a gas-dynamic window, the input of laser radiation into the preliminary chamber is provided by two solid cooled windows that are transparent to laser radiation, and the pressure in edvaritelnoy chamber is higher than in the absorption chamber, and two mirrors reflecting the laser beam external to the engine are located outside the laser rocket engine. 2. A laser rocket engine containing a system of reflective and focusing mirrors, a gas-dynamic window, an absorption chamber, a supply system of a working fluid, a cooling path, a supersonic nozzle, characterized in that the system of conical reflective and focusing mirrors is located in a sealed preliminary chamber in communication with the absorption chamber by means of a gas-dynamic window, the input of laser radiation into the preliminary chamber is provided by an annular solid cooled window transparent to laser radiation, and yes Leniye in preliminary chamber is higher than in the absorption chamber, and a conical mirror reflecting the laser beam external to the engine, is arranged outside the laser rocket engine.

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