Propellant utilization system

The invention is a propellant utilization system for flight vehicles operating in both the subsonic and supersonic speed ranges. In particular, the invention uses steam and water produced in the system to replace hydrogen as a coolant and for power generation. It also provides for the utilization or oxygen obtained from air captured by the air inlet instead of oxygen stored in the vehicle.

I claim:

1. A propellant utilization system for a flight vehicle comprising:

providing a supply of oxygen on board the flight vehicle;

providing a separate supply of hydrogen on board the flight vehicle;

providing an engine comprising a combustor and a nozzle;

providing a reactor;

combusting part of the hydrogen with part of the oxygen in the engine to produce energy to propel the flight vehicle; and

combusting another part of the hydrogen with another part of the oxygen in the reactor to produce steam;

wherein the thus produced steam is used as a propellant in the operation of the flight vehicle; and

wherein the steam is condensed and the thus produced water is used as a coolant in the operation of the flight vehicle.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogen and the oxygen each are provided in a two-phase liquid/solid state and further wherein the hydrogen is provided in the para energy state.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the hydrogen is circulated as a coolant for at least one of:

condensing steam produced in the reactor;

cooling of leading edges of the flight vehicle;

forced convection cooling of the system;

transpiration cooling of the reactor and nozzle; and

film cooling of the reactor and nozzle.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein coolant water produced by condensing the steam is sued as coolant for at last one of:

a forced convention cooling circuit for the flight vehicle;

leading edge cooling;

external drag reduction;

transpiration cooling of the reactor and nozzle; and

film cooling of the reactor and nozzle.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein hot gaseous hydrogen is produced by heat exchange with steam produced in the reactor, said hot hydrogen being used for at least one of:

injection to reduce atmospheric drag on the outside surface of the flight vehicle;

injection as a momentum contributor for the vehicle; and

circulation to the engine for combustion with oxygen.

6. A system according to claim 3 wherein hot gaseous hydrogen is produced by heat exchange with steam in the reactor, said hydrogen being circulated to the separate supply of two-phase liquid/solid state and para energy state hydrogen for recooling the thus heated hydrogen and for reuse of the thus cooled hydrogen as a coolant.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the supply of oxygen is one of an oxygen supply carried within the flight vehicle and air captured by an air inlet of the flight vehicle.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein air captured by the air inlet is cooled through heat exchange with cold hydrogen and then compressed to liquid air which is used to provide oxygen to at least one of the reactor and the engine.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein hydrogen heated by heat exchange with the captured air is circulated to the separate supply of hydrogen for recooling and for reuse of the thus cooled hydrogen as a coolant, said source of hydrogen being provided in a two-phase liquid/solid state and in the para energy state.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein steam produced in the reactor is used for at least one of:

boundary layer energizing;

generating power on board the flight vehicle;

propulsion for powered landing of the flight vehicle;

propulsion for orbit insertion, orbital demands and deorbiting; and

injection to reduce atmospheric drag on the outside surface of the flight vehicle.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

high pressure steam is produced in the reactor;

a third part of the hydrogen is used to condense at least a part of the high pressure steam to low pressure steam and hot water; and

a fourth part of the hydrogen is used to condense at least part of the low pressure steam and hot water to cold water.

12. A propellant utilization system for a flight vehicle comprising:

providing a supply of liquid/solid oxygen on board the flight vehicle;

providing a separate supply of liquid/solid hydrogen in the para energy state on board the flight vehicle;

providing an engine comprising a combustor and a nozzle;

providing a reactor;

combusting part of the hydrogen with part of the oxygen in the engine to produce energy to propel the flight vehicle;

combusting a second part of the hydrogen with a second part of the oxygen in the reactor to produce steam;

cooling and condensing the steam through heat exchange with a third part of the hydrogen resulting in heating the third part of the hydrogen; and

circulating the thus heated hydrogen to the source of hydrogen for recooling and reuse as a coolant.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the liquid/solid hydrogen supply is maintained at its triple point temperature and the circulated hydrogen is recooled to the triple point temperature utilizing the cooling capacity derived by melting the solid hydrogen.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the supply of oxygen is one of an oxygen supply carried within the flight vehicle and air captured by an air inlet of the flight vehicle;

wherein air captured in the inlet is cooled and condensed by heat exchange with a fourth part of the liquid/solid hydrogen resulting in heating the fourth part of the hydrogen; and

wherein the thus heated fourth part of the hydrogen is circulated to the separate supply of hydrogen for recooling and reuse as a coolant.