THERMAL-ELECTRIC MICRO ENGINE Russian patent published in 2008 - IPC F02K9/68 

FIELD: engines and pumps.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to power plants to be used in a low-weight satellites. The micro engine gas duct is furnished with two cylindrical flanges fitted on its outer part, slightly shifted from its edges, and arranged inside a cylindrical barrel with the bottom circular shoulder so that the gas duct free end rests against the barrel bottom, the barrel length being selected depending upon the flange opposite cylindrical flange depression relative to the barrel open end faces, while, outside the gas duct and between the said cylindrical flanges, electrical heating elements are fitted in two-channel ceramic pipes, for example, in the form of nichrome wire with diameter smaller than that of the pipe holes diameter. Here note that the heating element current feeding parts are passed through the flange slots and barrel bottom holes, the barrel inner diameter being equal to the outer diameter of the gas duct cylindrical flanges. Mind that the chamber represents a barrel with the inner diameter equal to the cylindrical shoulder diameter and with a bottom hole the diameter of which equals the gas duct protruding end face with a stepwise Laval nozzle, its elongated cylindrical part being equal to the amount of depression of the cylindrical flange relative to the barrel open end face. The aforesaid barrel housing the gas duct is pressed against the chamber bottom by an outer thread nut cylindrical ledge, the nut being screwed in the chamber open end face. The aforesaid chamber accommodates a gasified fuel feed pipeline system with a swirler, the latter being made up of inclined gas-feed slots on a cylindrical shoulder. The barrel free end face side surface, that of the gas duct nearby its end face in contact with the barrel bottom and the gas duct cylindrical flanges are furnished with slots, while the sensitive thermocouple elements are passed through the barrel bottom holes and, further on along with currents conductors, outward through the hollow nut, with its space and chamber end face being filled with heat-resistant proofing compound.

EFFECT: micro engine higher efficiency, higher specific thrust and lower weight.

11 dwg