IMPULSE-ACTION ROCKET SOLAR OXYGEN-HYDROGEN PROPULSION PLANT Russian patent published in 2007 - IPC F02K11/00 B64G1/40 

FIELD: spacecraft.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to propulsion systems os spacecraft, particularly, upper stages launching useful loads into near-earth and interplanetary orbits. It can be used in ecologically clean propulsion plants of spacecraft handled and lowered onto celestial bodies of stations which require supply with water and oxygen. Proposed plant contains solar battery, tank with water and capillary intake device, electrolyzer, tanks with gaseous oxygen and hydrogen and combustion chamber in communication with said tanks. Electrolyzer contains solid-polymer electrolyte, and its oxygen outputs communicate with inputs of gaseous oxygen tanks. Outputs of water circulating spaces of electrolyzer cells communicate with input of gas-liquid separator of hydrogen. Hydrogen output of separator communicates with gaseous hydrogen tank, and its water output communicates, through circulating water pump, with outputs of said water circulating spaces. Tank with gaseous hydrogen is placed inside tank with water so that walls of both tanks form ring axisymmetric channel narrowing to capillary intake device of water tank. Proposed plant contains only one hydrogen circuit with gas-liquid separator in which clean water circulates. So, two circuits operating on ecologically dangerous and chemically aggressive alkaline or oxygen electrolyte are not required in this case.

EFFECT: provision of simple and reliable, ecologically clean propulsion plant of reduced mass, overall dimensions of power consumption.

1 dwg