Societe Europeenne De Propulsion

Pierre-Andre Baudart

Didier Vuillamy

Andre Beaurain

Etienne Tiret

Pierre Desclos

Jean-Paul Dumont

In a rocket engine nozzle comprising: a converging portion that receives the gases produced in a combustion chamber; a throat of small section; and a diverging portion connected to the nozzle throat; the diverging portion includes a set of downstream notches running longitudinally from its downstream end and uniformly distributed around the entire periphery of the diverging portion, the total width of all of the notches within any section representing about 1% to 6% of the periphery of the diverging portion. The notches serve to avoid having a jet separation line that is irregular and unstable, and they facilitate matching the diverging portion to ambient conditions that vary in flight.

Rocket engine nozzle having a notched diverging portion

The rocket engine is fitted with an injection device comprising a single injection plate having a central portion that defines the end of the burn zone of the combustion chamber and that contains first propellant injectors having a high mixing ratio adapted to the conditions under which hot gases are produced in the burn zone, and a peripheral portion in the form of a ring that defines the end of an annular cavity of a gas generator and that contain second propellant injectors having a low mixing ratio and adapted to the conditions under which hot gases are produced in the gas generator. The gas generator is thus integral with the combustion chamber and the annular cavity of the gas generator is separated from the burn zone of the combustion chamber by a cylindrical wall that extends axially perpendicularly to the injection plate and that is fixed thereto in sealed manner.

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Vernon, France

Pierre-Andre Baudart