US2551115A

US2551115A - Hollow partition between premixing and combustion chambers for rockets

Info

Publication number: US2551115A
Application number: US137112A
Authority: US
Inventors: Esther C Goddard
Original assignee: DANIEL AND FLORENCE GUGGENHEIM
Current assignee: DANIEL AND FLORENCE GUGGENHEIM; DANIEL AND FLORENCE GUGGENHEIM FOUNDATION
Priority date: 1950-01-06
Filing date: 1950-01-06
Publication date: 1951-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1968-05-01

Description

May 1, 1951 R. H. GODDARD HOLLOW PARTITION BETWEEN PREMIXING AND COMBUSTION CHAMBERS FOR ROCKETS Filed Jan. 6, 1950 2 p 25 SPARK' PLUG IN VENT 0R. ROBERT fl. 6000nRn,Dc/1sED. BY [ax/1m C. 6000mm, fxscurmx.

l atented May 1, 1951 HOLLOW PARTITION ING AND COMBUSTION CHAMBERS FOR ROCKETS BETWEEN PREMIX- Robert H. Goddard, deceased, late of Annapolis,

Md., by Esther C. Goddard, executrix, Worcester, Mass, assignor of one-half to The Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Foundation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 6, 1950, Serial No. 137,112

1 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to combustion apparatus particularly adapted for use in rockets and in other similarly propelled mechanisms, and is a continuation-in-part of prior application Serial No. 694,921, filed September 5, 1946.

It is the general object of the invention to provide improved means for effectively premixing two combustion elements before they enter the combustion space.

A further object is to provide a construction in which a liquid fuel and a liquid oxidizer are sprayed into a premixing chamber, and in which additional oxidizer is added to the more or less completely vaporized mixture as it passes through a series of perforated or pervious partitions. Provision is also made for substantially uniform distribution of the additional oxidizer.

The invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereparatus is shown which comprises a combustion chamber portion C and a premixing chamber portion 0'. The chamber portions 0 and C are enclosed by a chamber casing l0, and the casing It is mounted within a jacket casing II which defines jacket spaces S and S, separated by longitudinal partitions I2.

Liquid fuel is fed to the jacket space S through a supply pipe 14, and liquid oxidizer is fed to the space S through a supply pipe I5. The fuel and oxidizer flow rearward along the spaces S and S to the rear or closed end I6 of the premixing chamber portion C. The liquids are then sprayed into the chamber portion C through a 2 precipitated copper may be sintered together by heat to produce a satisfactory porous partition.

A hollow partition 22 is mounted adjacent certain of the perforated partitions and comprises a hollow disc having a plurality of relatively large transverse openings 24 through which the more or less vaporized mixture maypass.

Additional and more or less vaporized oxidizer is fed to the hollow partition22 through a volute 25 from a supply pipe 26. The volute may be positioned in the jacket spaces S and S, as shown in Fig. 1, and the front and rear portions of the spaces may be connected by outwardly projecting passages and 30a, (Fig. 2).

A multiplicity of fine perforations 32 are formed in the face of the hollow partition 22 which is nearer the combustion chamber portion C, and these perforations 32 may be grouped about the openings 2t as shown in Fig. 2.

The side walls of the hollow partition 22 may be concave to decrease the width of the enclosed space toward the axis and to thus equalize the rate of radial flow of the oxidizer.

As the more or less completely vaporized mixture passes through the screens 20 and through the openings 24 in the hollow partition 22, additional oxidizer is added through the numerous small perforations 32. The intermingled fuel and oxidizer mixture then passes through a further mixing partition 4|]. This partition all may be formed as indicated in Fig. 4, and may comprise a relatively thick disc of metal having a multiplicity of fine holes or perforations 4| extending through the metal. Such a disc may be conveniently made by including fine filaments in a cast metal disc and thereafter dissolving out the filaments.

As the thoroughly mixed and intermingled combustion gases and vapors, enter the chamber portion C, they may be initially ignited by any suitable ignition device suchas a spark-plug 44 (Fig. 1). Continuous combustion will thereafter take place.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1 except that the screens 50, the hollow partition 52 and the perforated partition 5A are all curved to focus the mixed combustion elements at the point F, and the walls 56 of the chamber portion C2 are contracted to conform to the path of travel of thecombustion mixture. Otherwise the construction and operation is as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and as previously described.

- With the construction shown and described, very effective premixing and vaporization of the invention is not to be limited to the details 7 herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what is claimed is:

1. In combustion apparatus, a combustion chamber having a combustion portion and a premixing portion, partition means separating said portions but permitting mixed combustion elements to pass therethrough, a cooling jacket enclosing said combustion chamber, means to feed two combustion liquids to separate spaces in said jacket, means to spray said combustion liquids from said jacket spaces into said premixing portion, a hollow disc in said partition means provided with a plurality of traversing passages therethrough for the combustion mixture and with a plurality of feeding perforations opening from the interior of said disc toward said combustion portion, and means to supply additional oxidizer to said disc and through said perforations to said combustion mixture as it passes through said disc to said combustion portion, and said hollow disc having concave outer faces which progressively reduce the width of the hollow space within said disc toward the axis thereof to facilitate uniform flow therein.

2. In combustion apparatus, a combustion chamber having a combustion portion and a premixing portion, partition means separating said portions but permitting mixed combustion elements to pass therethrough, a cooling jacket enclosing said combustion chamber, means to feed two combustion liquids to separate spaces in said jacket, means to spray said combustion liquids from said jacket spaces into said premixing portion, a hollow disc in said partition means provided with a plurality of traversing passages therethrough for the combustion mixture and with a plurality of feeding perforations opening from the interior of said disc toward said combustion portion, and means to supply additional oxidizer to said disc and through said perforations to said combustion mixture as it passes through said disc to said combustion portion, and said hollow disc having a plurality of said feeding perforations surrounding each mixture passage traversing said disc.

3. In combustion apparatus, a combustion chamber having a combustion portion and a premixing portion, partition means separating said portions but permitting mixed combustion elements to pass therethrough, a cooling jacket enclosing said combustion chamber, means to feed two combustion liquids to separate spaces in said jacket, means to spray said combustion liquids from said jacket spaces into said premixing portion, a hollow disc in said partition means provided with a plurality of traversing passages therethrough for the combustion mixture and with a plurality of feedin perforations opening from the interior of said disc toward said combustion portion, means to supply additional oxidizer to said disc and through said perforations to said combustion mixture as it passes through said disc to said combustion portion, and a supply pipe which is connected to said hollow disc by an encircling volute which equalizes the feed about said disc.

4. In combustion apparatus, a combustion chamber having a combustion portion and a premixing portion, partition means separating said portions but permitting mixed combustion elements to pass therethrough, a coolin jacket enclosing said combustion chamber, means to feed two combustion liquids to separate spaces in said jacket, means to spray said combustion liquids from said jacket spaces into said preinixing portion, a hollow disc in said partition means provided with a plurality of traversing passages therethrough for the combustion mixture and with a plurality of feeding perforations opening from the interior of said disc toward said combustion portion, and means to supply additional oxidizer to said disc and through said perforations to said combustion mixture as it passes through said disc to said combustion portion, and the partition means and associated hollow disc being concave on their discharge side and directing the combustion mixture to a focal point in the combustion portion of said chamber.

ESTHER C. GODDARD. Emecutrix of the Last Will and Testament of Robert H. Goddard, Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,236,793 Warman Aug. 14, 1917 2,192,615 Mayer Mar. 5, 1940 2,397,834 Bowman Apr. 2, 1946