초록 ▼

A system and methods are provided for combining systems of an upper stage space launch vehicle for enhancing the operation of the space vehicle. Hydrogen and oxygen already on board as propellant for the upper stage rockets is also used for other upper stage functions to include propellant tank pres

A system and methods are provided for combining systems of an upper stage space launch vehicle for enhancing the operation of the space vehicle. Hydrogen and oxygen already on board as propellant for the upper stage rockets is also used for other upper stage functions to include propellant tank pressurization, attitude control, vehicle settling, and electrical requirements. Specifically, gases from the propellant tanks, instead of being dumped overboard, are used as fuel and oxidizer to power an internal combustion engine that produces mechanical power for driving other elements including a starter/generator for generation of electrical current, mechanical power for fluid pumps, and other uses. The exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine is also used directly in one or more vehicle settling thrusters. Accumulators which store the waste ullage gases are pressurized and provide pressurization control for the propellant tanks. The system is constructed in a modular configuration in which two redundant integrated fluid modules may be mounted to the vehicle, each of the modules capable of supporting the upper stage functions.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An upper stage launch vehicle comprising: at least one main upper stage rocket for propelling the launch vehicle in space;a pair of main vehicle tanks for storage of liquid propellants therein including a hydrogen tank and an oxygen tank;an internal combustion engine powered by waste ullage hydro

1. An upper stage launch vehicle comprising: at least one main upper stage rocket for propelling the launch vehicle in space;a pair of main vehicle tanks for storage of liquid propellants therein including a hydrogen tank and an oxygen tank;an internal combustion engine powered by waste ullage hydrogen and oxygen vented from said tanks, said internal combustion engine having an output shaft;a power generator communicating with said output shaft of said internal combustion engine for generating electrical current;a battery in electrical communication with said generator for storing the electrical power;a gaseous oxygen accumulator for storing oxygen from the oxygen tank;a gaseous hydrogen accumulator for storing hydrogen from the hydrogen tank; anda plurality of thrusters to provide attitude and settling control of the vehicle, at least one of said plurality of thrusters being selectively powered by exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine, and at least one of said plurality of thrusters being selectively powered by oxygen and hydrogen gas from said accumulators. 2. A system, as claimed in claim 1, further including: pressurization lines from said accumulators to said tanks for pressurizing the tanks; and tank pressurization controls for selectively controlling the tank pressures. 3. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said plurality of thrusters includes at least one yaw thruster, at least one pitch thruster, and at least one axial thruster, said at least one yaw and pitch thrusters being powered by hydrogen and oxygen gas from said accumulators, and said at least one axial thruster being powered by a combination of hydrogen and oxygen gas from ullage volumes or said accumulators and the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine. 4. A system, as claimed in claim 3, further including: at least one heat exchanger in communication with said at least one axial thruster for selectively modifying temperature of at least one of said waste ullage gases or liquid propellants prior to transfer of said gases to one of said accumulators. 5. A system, as claimed in claim 1, further including: an oxygen pump for pressurizing the oxygen accumulator, and a hydrogen pump for pressurizing the hydrogen accumulator, said pump being driven by corresponding pump motors, said pump motors being powered by at least one of electrical current from said battery and/or mechanical power from said output shaft of said internal combustion engine. 6. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said internal combustion engine includes a Wankel engine, said Wankel engine including an internal rotor rotating within an engine block, said rotor dividing internal space within said engine block into three separate compartments including an intake chamber, a combustion chamber, and an exhaust chamber. 7. A system, as claimed in claim 6, wherein: said Wankel engine further includes a cooling jacket surrounding said engine block, and wherein hydrogen gas from hydrogen ullage flows in the space between said engine block and said jacket to cool the engine. 8. A system, as claimed in claim 7, wherein: said hydrogen circulating between said cooling jacket and said engine block is further circulated within the engine block to the intake chamber for use as fuel within the engine. 9. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said internal combustion engine, said power generator, said battery, said accumulators, and said plurality of thrusters comprise an IVF module mounted to an aft portion of said launch vehicle. 10. A system, as claimed in claim 9 wherein: said IVF module includes a pair of IVF modules, each of said modules mounted to opposing sides of said launch vehicle to provide redundant capabilities. 11. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: each of said tanks include a plurality of vent, purge, and bleed lines communicating therewith, each of said hydrogen and oxygen tanks including a vent line, a pressurization line, a bleed line, and a purge line. 12. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said plurality of thrusters is arranged on a thruster panel assembly including a hydrogen manifold and an oxygen manifold for delivering hydrogen and oxygen to said thrusters. 13. A system, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said internal combustion engine includes a piston engine. 14. A method of providing mechanical energy for supporting functions of an upper stage launch vehicle, said method comprising: providing: (i) a pair of tanks for storage of propellants therein including a hydrogen tank and an oxygen tank;(ii) an internal combustion engine powered by hydrogen and oxygen removed from said tanks;(iii) a power generator communicating with an output shaft of said internal combustion engine for generating electrical current;(iv) a battery in electrical communication with said generator for storing the electrical current;(v) a gaseous oxygen accumulator for storing oxygen removed from the oxygen tank;(vi) a gaseous hydrogen accumulator for storing hydrogen removed from the hydrogen tank;(vii) a plurality of thrusters to provide attitude and settling control of the launch vehicle;powering at least one thruster of said plurality of thrusters by exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine;powering at least one thruster of said plurality of thrusters by oxygen and hydrogen gas from said accumulators; andpowering at least one thruster of said plurality of thrusters by hydrogen and oxygen from the main vehicle tanks. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising an alternator, and wherein said battery is in communication with said alternator, and said alternator is in communication with said generator, and the battery is charged by current passing through the alternator. 16. A method of pressurizing a propellant tank of an upper stage launch vehicle, said method comprising: providing: (i) a pair of tanks for storage of propellants therein including a hydrogen tank and an oxygen tank;(ii) an internal combustion engine powered by hydrogen and oxygen removed from said tanks, said internal combustion engine having an output shaft;(iii) a power generator communicating with said output shaft of said internal combustion engine for generating electrical current and for starting the internal combustion engine;(iv) a battery in electrical communication with said power generator for storing the electrical current;(v) a gaseous oxygen accumulator for storing oxygen from the oxygen tank;(vi) a gaseous hydrogen accumulator for storing me hydrogen from the hydrogen tank;(vii) a plurality of thrusters to provide attitude and settling control of the vehicle;pressurizing the accumulators by communication with at least one pump, said at least one pump being powered by at least one of electrical current from said battery or mechanical energy from said output shaft of the internal combustion engine; andpressurizing the tanks by pressurization lines from said accumulators. 17. A method of providing electrical power for an upper stage launch vehicle said method comprising: providing: (i) a pair of tanks for storage of propellants therein including a hydrogen tank and an oxygen tank;(ii) an internal combustion engine powered by hydrogen and oxygen removed from said tanks;(iii) a power generator communicating with an output shaft of said internal combustion engine;(iv) a battery in electrical communication with said generator for storing the electrical current;(v) a gaseous oxygen accumulator for storing oxygen from the oxygen tank;(vi) a gaseous hydrogen accumulator for storing hydrogen from the hydrogen tank;(vii) a plurality of thrusters to provide attitude and settling control of the vehicle;generating electrical current by said electrical power generator driven by an output shaft of the internal combustion engine;storing the electrical power in the battery; andselectively using electrical current stored in said battery for electrical systems of said launch vehicle. 18. A method of providing vehicle settling for a space launch vehicle in orbit, said method comprising: providing: (i) a pair of tanks for storage of propellants therein including a hydrogen tank and an oxygen tank;(ii) an internal combustion engine powered by hydrogen and oxygen removed from said tanks;(iii) a generator communicating with said output shaft of said internal combustion engine for generating electrical current and for starting the internal combustion engine;(iv) a battery in electrical communication with said generator for storing the electrical current;(v) a gaseous oxygen accumulator for storing medium pressure oxygen from the oxygen tank;(vi) a gaseous hydrogen accumulator for storing medium pressure hydrogen from the hydrogen tank;(vii) a plurality of thrusters to provide attitude and settling control of the vehicle;activating at least one thruster of said plurality of thrusters by exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine for long duration, low thrust requirements; andactivating at least one thruster of said plurality of thrusters by waste ullage gas stored either in said accumulators, or by venting oxygen and hydrogen from said tanks directly to said at least one thruster. 19. A method of venting propellant tanks of an upper stage launch vehicle, said method comprising: providing:(i) a pair of tanks for storage of propellants therein including a hydrogen tank and an oxygen tank;(ii) an internal combustion engine powered by waste ullage hydrogen and oxygen vented from said tanks, said internal combustion engine having an output shaft;(iii) an alternator communicating with said output shaft of said internal combustion engine for generating electrical current;(iv) a battery in electrical communication with said alternator for storing the electrical current;(v) a gaseous oxygen accumulator for storing moderate pressure oxygen extracted from the main oxygen tank;(vi) a gaseous hydrogen accumulator for storing moderate pressure hydrogen extracted from the main hydrogen tank;(vii) a plurality of thrusters to provide attitude and settling control of the vehicle;(viii) providing a gaseous hydrogen vent line from the hydrogen tank and a gaseous oxygen vent line from said oxygen tank, said vent lines communicating with at least one of said plurality of thrusters; andventing the propellant tanks by the vent lines and using the gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen as fuel and oxidizer for activation of said at least one of said plurality of thrusters.