Martin Marietta Corporation

Keith James Schaefer

John Mandzy

John Joseph Johnson

Robert A Pate

Steven Joseph Brown

Crestus Lee Adams

Andrew Anthony Carlson

An initiator, for use in a gas generator, includes an enclosed volume in communication with apertures for introducing liquid propellant and pre-pressurization gas into a propellant ignition chamber, and an aperture for introducing combusted gasses into a gas generator. A mechanism for controlling when the gases are allowed to enter the gas generator, and a heater/electrode to initiate combustion of the liquid propellant, also communicate with the enclosed volume. The propellant and the pre-pressurization gas may be introduced together or through separate ports. The heater/electrode thermally decomposes and vaporizes the propellant causing pressurization of the ignition chamber until a critical value is reached and the propellant ignites and burns. The burning propellant increases the chamber pressure beyond a predetermined value thereby opening the controlling mechanism and allowing the combusted gases to be introduced into the gas generator combustion chamber.

Ignitor for use in a liquid monopropellant gas generator

A continuous flow-rate gas generator fueled by liquid mono-propellant includes a propellant storage tank, a motor-driven pump (or other pressurization technique) to force the propellant into a combustion chamber having an enclosed volume, an injector to effectively break up the incoming liquid propellant into droplets that facilitate ignition and sustain combustion, an igniter to initiate the combustion process, a nozzle to expand the exhaust gases in order to optimize the pressure and temperature of the working fluid, and exhaust ducting to direct the flow and handle the further heat transfer requirements. If desired, the output may be varied through two mechanisms: either by including an exit gas valve used to vary the exit gas flow to match delivery needs; or by having a plurality of continuous gas generators connected in parallel to a manifold assembly and relying on the combination of mixed flow-rates to match a required gas output.

Liquid monopropellant gas generator

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Nassau, NY, United States of America

Keith James Schaefer