Southwest Research Institute

Shane Bucy Coogan

Michael A Miller

Klaus Brun

A method of using a combustor for high temperature combustion. The combustor is equipped with a showerhead type micromix air-fuel injector. The injector faceplate has its ports concentrically arranged into 'banks', to which delivery of fuel can be controlled on a bank-by-bank basis. During combustor operation, the temperature of the air into the combustor is monitored. If the temperature is above a predetermined threshold, fuel is delivered to fewer than all banks of ports. As a result, the bank(s) of ports to which fuel is not delivered inject only air into the combustion chamber, and the other bank(s) of ports inject the air-fuel mixture as usual.

Air-fuel micromix injector having multibank ports for adaptive cooling of high temperature combustor

The present invention relates generally in gaseous oxygen propulsion systems with solid-phase chemical oxygen generation for in-space propulsion systems. Chemical oxygen generation is provided by alkali metal chlorates, alkali metal perchlorates or metal peroxides.

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Allen, TX, United States of America

Shane Bucy Coogan