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A method for designing and assembling a high performance catalyst bed gas generator for use in decomposing propellants, particularly hydrogen peroxide propellants, for use in target, space, and on-orbit propulsion systems and low-emission terrestrial power and gas generation. The gas generator utili

A method for designing and assembling a high performance catalyst bed gas generator for use in decomposing propellants, particularly hydrogen peroxide propellants, for use in target, space, and on-orbit propulsion systems and low-emission terrestrial power and gas generation. The gas generator utilizes a sectioned catalyst bed system, and incorporates a robust, high temperature mixed metal oxide catalyst. The gas generator requires no special preheat apparatus or special sequencing to meet start-up requirements, enabling a fast overall response time. The high performance catalyst bed gas generator system has consistently demonstrated high decomposition efficiency, extremely low decomposition roughness, and long operating life on multiple test articles.

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1. A robust, long-life gas generator assembly for use in high temperature decomposition of a propellant, including 70-99% hydrogen peroxide, comprisingan inlet adapter having an inlet region;a housing coupled to said inlet adapter and having an outlet region;a catalyst bed coupled within said housin

1. A robust, long-life gas generator assembly for use in high temperature decomposition of a propellant, including 70-99% hydrogen peroxide, comprisingan inlet adapter having an inlet region;a housing coupled to said inlet adapter and having an outlet region;a catalyst bed coupled within said housing and between said inlet region and said outlet region, said catalyst bed having a diffuser section and an active catalyst screen stack and an initiator section, said active catalyst screen stack and said initiator section being made of distinctly different materials and each consisting of alternating active and inactive screens, wherein said active catalyst screen stack being located between said diffuser section and said outlet region. 2. The gas generator of claim 1, further comprising a catalyst bed cartridge coupled within said housing between said inlet region and said outlet region, said catalyst bed cartridge having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said catalyst bed is contained within said catalyst bed cartridge between said inlet and said outlet. 3. The gas generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said diffuser section comprises an injector plate and a plurality of diffuser screens, wherein said injector plate is located between said inlet region and said plurality of diffuser screens. 4. The gas generator assembly of claim 3, wherein said injector plate has a plurality of injector plate holes aligned with the axis of flow of propellant through said catalyst bed, said plurality of injector plate holes designed to decelerate and evenly distribute the propellant throughout said catalyst bed as the propellant moves from said inlet region to said plurality of diffuser screens. 5. The gas generator assembly of claim 4, wherein the cumulative cross sectional area of said plurality of injector plate holes comprises between 5 and 35 percent of the total cross sectional area of said injector plate. 6. The gas generator assembly of claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of diffuser screens comprise a wire mesh material designed to further decelerate and further distribute said propellant within said catalyst bed as the propellant moves from said inlet region to said active catalyst screen stack. 7. The gas generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said active catalyst screen stack comprises a plurality of coated inner metallic wire substrate screens, each of said plurality of coated inner metallic wire substrate screens comprising a inner metallic wire substrate screen surrounded by a mixed metal oxide catalyst material. 8. The gas generator assembly of claim 7, wherein said active catalyst screen stack further comprises a plurality of inner metallic wire substrate screens coupled between each of said coated inner metallic wire substrate screens. 9. The gas generator assembly of claim 7, wherein said mixed metal oxide catalyst material is selected from the group consisting of a Type I silver mixed metal oxide catalyst material and a Type II silver-palladium mixed metal oxide catalyst material. 10. The gas generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said initiator section comprises not more than fifteen alternating pairs of a silver-plated mesh screen and an inactive metal mesh screen. 11. The gas generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said initiator section comprises not more than fifteen alternating pairs of a wrought silver mesh screen and an inactive metal mesh screen. 12. The gas generator assembly of claim 1, wherein said catalyst bed further comprises an aft distribution plate coupled between said active catalyst screen stack and said outlet region, wherein the aft distribution plate has a plurality of holes through said aft distribution plate thickness, wherein said holes are aligned with the axis of flow of propellant through said catalyst bed, and wherein the cumulative cross sectional area of said plurality of holes comprises between 15 and 60 percent of the total cross sectional area of said aft distribution plate. 13. The gas gen erator assembly of claim 1, wherein said catalyst bed further comprises a plurality of thermal bed screens located between said active catalyst section and said outlet region. 14. A robust, long-life gas generator assembly for use in high temperature decomposition of a propellant, including 70-99% hydrogen peroxide, comprisingan inlet adapter having an inlet region;a housing coupled to said inlet adapter and having an outlet region;a catalyst bed coupled within said housing and between said inlet region and said outlet region, said catalyst bed having an initiator section and an active catalyst screen stack, wherein said active catalyst screen stack being located between said initiator section and said outlet region and wherein said initiator section decomposes a small portion of the propellant to a high temperature gas as the propellant passes from said inlet to said active catalyst screen stack, said active catalyst screen stack and said initiator section being made of distinctly different materials and each consisting of alternating active and inactive screens. 15. The gas generator of claim 14, further comprising a catalyst bed cartridge coupled within said housing between said inlet region and said outlet region, said catalyst bed cartridge having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said catalyst bed is contained within said catalyst bed cartridge between said inlet and said outlet. 16. The gas generator assembly of claim 14, wherein said initiator section comprises not more than fifteen alternating pairs of a silver-plated mesh screen and an inactive metal mesh screen. 17. The gas generator assembly of claim 14, wherein said initiator section comprises not more than fifteen alternating pairs of a wrought silver mesh screen and an inactive metal mesh screen. 18. The gas generator assembly of claim 14, wherein said active catalyst screen stack comprises a plurality of coated inner metallic wire substrate screens, each of said plurality of coated inner metallic wire substrate screens comprising a inner metallic wire substrate screen surrounded by a mixed metal oxide catalyst material. 19. The gas generator assembly of claim 18, wherein said active catalyst screen stack further comprises a plurality of inner metallic wire substrate screens coupled between each of said coated inner metallic wire substrate screens. 20. The gas generator assembly of claim 18, wherein said mixed metal oxide catalyst material is selected from the group consisting of a Type I silver mixed metal oxide catalyst material and a Type II silver-palladium mixed metal oxide catalyst material. 21. The gas generator assembly of claim 14, wherein said catalyst bed further comprises a diffuser section coupled between said inlet region and said initiator section, said diffuser section designed to decelerate and evenly distribute the propellant throughout said catalyst bed as it passes from said inlet region towards said initiator section. 22. The gas generator assembly of claim 21, wherein said diffuser section comprises an injector plate and a plurality of diffuser screens, wherein said injector plate is located between said inlet and said plurality of diffuser screens. 23. The gas generator assembly of claim 22, wherein said injector plate has a plurality of injector plate holes aligned with the axis of flow of propellant through said catalyst bed, said plurality of injector plate holes designed to decelerate and evenly distribute the propellant throughout said catalyst bed as the propellant moves from said inlet region towards said plurality of diffuser screens. 24. The gas generator assembly of claim 23, wherein the cumulative cross sectional area of said plurality of injector plate holes comprises between 5 and 35 percent of the total cross sectional area of said injector plate. 25. The gas generator assembly of claim 22, wherein each of said plurality of diffuser screens comprise a wire mesh material designed to further decelerate and further distribute said propellant within said catalyst bed prior to decomposition within said active catalyst screen stack. 26. The gas generator assembly of claim 14, wherein said catalyst bed further comprises an aft distribution plate coupled between said active catalyst screen stack and said outlet region, wherein the aft distribution plate has a plurality of holes through said aft distribution plate thickness, wherein said holes are aligned with the axis of flow of propellant through said catalyst bed, and wherein the cumulative cross sectional area of said plurality of holes comprises between 15 and 60 percent of the total cross sectional area of said aft distribution plate. 27. The gas generator assembly of claim 14, wherein said catalyst bed further comprises a plurality of thermal bed screens located between said active catalyst section and said outlet region. 28. A method for forming a catalyst bed cartridge for use in a gas generator assembly used for high temperature decomposition of propellants comprising:providing a catalyst bed cartridge having an inlet and an outlet;securing an aft distribution plate to said catalyst bed cartridge near said outlet;introducing an active catalyst screen stack to said catalyst bed cartridge between said inlet and said aft distribution plate, said active catalyst screen stack having a plurality of alternating pairs of an active catalyst screen and an inactive catalyst screen;introducing not more than fifteen pairs of a silver initiator screen stack to said catalyst cartridge between said inlet and said active catalyst screen stack, each of said not more than fifteen pairs of a silver initiator screen stack consisting of a silver initiator screen and an inactive initiator screen; andintroducing a diffuser section between said not more than fifteen pairs of said silver initiator screen stack and said inlet, said diffuser section used to distribute the propellant throughout said catalyst bed cartridge as the propellant passes from said inlet to said outlet. 29. The method of claim 28 further comprising introducing a plurality of thermal bed screens between said aft distribution plate and said active catalyst screen stack, wherein one of said plurality of thermal bed screens is clocked between one and twenty degrees in a first direction relative to an next adjacent one of said plurality of thermal screens. 30. The method of claim 28, wherein each of said active catalyst screens is clocked between one and twenty degrees in a first direction relative to an adjacent one of said plurality of inactive catalyst screens. 31. The method of claim 28, wherein introducing a diffuser section comprises:introducing a plurality of diffuser screens between said fifteen pairs of said silver initiator screen stack and said inlet; andcoupling an injector plate to said catalyst bed cartridge between said inlet and said plurality of diffuser screens. 32. The method of claim 31, wherein one of said plurality of diffuser screens is clocked between one and twenty degrees in a first direction relative to an adjacent one of said plurality of diffuser screens. 33. A method for decomposing a propellant, including 70-99% hydrogen peroxide, used to drive a gas turbine, provide thrust as a monopropellant, provide an oxidizer for bi-propellant systems, or function as an igniter for a rocket engine, the method comprising(a) forming a generator assembly comprising:an inlet adapter having an inlet region;a housing coupled to said inlet adapter and having an outlet region; anda catalyst bed coupled within said housing and between said inlet region and said outlet region, said catalyst bed having a diffuser section and an active catalyst screen stack and an initiator section, said active catalyst screen stack and said initiator section being made of distinctly different materials and each consisting of alternating active and inactive screens, wherein said active catalyst screen stack being located between said diffuser section and said outlet region;(b) introducing a quantity of propellant within said inlet region of said generator assembly;(c) passing said quantity of propellant over said catalyst bed, said catalyst bed decomposing said quantity of propellant to form a second quantity of a high temperature gas; and(d) removing said second quantity of a high temperature gas from said generator assembly through said outlet region. 34. The method of claim 33, said generator assembly further comprising a catalyst bed cartridge coupled within said housing between said inlet region and said outlet region, said catalyst bed cartridge having an inlet and an outlet, wherein said catalyst bed is contained within said catalyst bed cartridge between said inlet and said outlet. 35. The method of claim 33, wherein said diffuser section comprises an injector plate and a plurality of diffuser screens, wherein said injector plate is located between said inlet region and said plurality of diffuser screens. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein said injector plate has a plurality of injector plate holes aligned with the axis of flow of propellant through said catalyst bed, said plurality of injector plate holes designed to decelerate and evenly distribute said quantity of propellant throughout said catalyst bed as said quantity of propellant moves from said inlet region to said plurality of diffuser screens. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the cumulative cross sectional area of said plurality of injector plate holes comprises between 5 and 35 percent of the total cross sectional area of said injector plate. 38. The method of claim 35, wherein each of said plurality of diffuser screens comprise a wire mesh material designed to further decelerate and further distribute said quantity of said propellant within said catalyst bed as said quantity of said propellant moves from said inlet region to said active catalyst screen stack. 39. The method of claim 33, wherein said active catalyst screen stack comprises a plurality of coated inner metallic wire substrate screens, each of said plurality of coated inner metallic wire substrate screens comprising a inner metallic wire substrate screen surrounded by a mixed metal oxide catalyst material. 40. The method of claim 33, wherein said active catalyst screen stack further comprises a plurality of inner metallic wire substrate screens coupled between each of said coated inner metallic wire substrate screens. 41. The method of claim 39, wherein said mixed metal oxide catalyst material is selected from the group consisting of a Type I sliver mixed metal oxide catalyst material and a Type II silver-palladium mixed metal oxide catalyst material. 42. The method of claim 33, wherein said initiator section comprises not more than fifteen alternating pairs of a silver-plated mesh screen and an inactive metal mesh screen. 43. The method of claim 33, wherein said initiator section comprises not more than fifteen alternating pairs of a wrought silver mesh screen and an inactive metal mesh screen. 44. The method of claim 33, wherein said catalyst bed further comprises an aft distribution plate coupled between said active catalyst screen stack and said outlet region, wherein the aft distribution plate has a plurality of holes through said aft distribution plate thickness, wherein said holes are aligned with the axis of flow of said quantity of said propellant through said catalyst bed, and wherein the cumulative cross sectional area of said plurality of holes comprises between 15 and 60 percent of the total cross sectional area of said aft distribution plate. 45. The method of claim 33, wherein said catalyst bed further comprises a plurality of thermal bed screens located between said active catalyst section and said outlet region.