Device and system for controlling missiles and kill vehicles operated with gel-like fuels

Abstract

Apparatus for trajectory control and/or position control of a missile (99), comprising a controllable gas generator (109, 200) with a fuel flow control valve (124, 213), an injector head (112, 202), a combustion chamber (111) and at least one outflow nozzle (103, 204) or at least one throttle.

Claims

1. Apparatus for trajectory control and/or position control of a missile, comprising a controllable gas generator with a fuel flow control valve, an injector head with one or more injector elements, a combustion chamber generating combustion gases and at least one outflow nozzle, which has one of a variable nozzle throat cross-section, which is adjustable, and at least one throttle to vary discharge of said combustion gases from said outflow nozzle and vary nozzle thrust generated thereby.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus is operated with gel fuel combusted in said combustion chamber.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a tank arrangement which is arranged separate from the combustion chamber.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said apparatus comprises a device for a tank pressurization.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said injector elements of the injector head comprise variable injectors.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said one or more injector elements of the injector head has injectors which are switchable on and off.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the injector elements of the injector head are configured as a baffle injector.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said variable throat cross-section of the at least one outflow nozzle is stepwise adjustable.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion chamber is designed as a metal combustion chamber of at least one alloy with high melting point.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion chamber is designed as a ceramic combustion chamber.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the ceramic combustion chamber is configured without an internal heat shield of fiber-composite ceramic material.

12. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the combustion chamber has a heat shield of a ceramic or ablating material.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a smallest cross-section of the variable nozzle throat cross-section is adjustable from maximally open to at least one of minimally open and completely closed.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the throttle has a variable cross-section for controlling said combustion gas supplied to said outflow nozzle.

15. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the throttle has a stepwise adjustable cross-section for controlling said combustion gas supplied to said outflow nozzle.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said apparatus comprises a device for controlling and regulating fuel mass flow to said combustion chamber, and a combustion chamber pressure during combustion of said fuel mass flow and controlling said one of said variable nozzle throat cross-section and said at least one throttle.

17. System for trajectory control and/or position control of a missile, comprising an apparatus with a controllable gas generator and a fuel flow control valve with an injector head having one or more injector elements, and a combustion chamber generating combustion gases and at least one outflow nozzle, which has one of a variable nozzle throat cross-section, which is adjustable, and at least one throttle to vary discharge of said combustion gases from said outflow nozzle and vary nozzle thrust generated thereby, as well as a tank arrangement arranged separate from the combustion chamber and a gel fuel as propellant medium.

18. System according to claim 17, characterized in that the apparatus is designed in a modular and/or scalable manner.

19. System according to claim 18, characterized in that the gas generator is configured with a device capable of switching off and re-igniting said gas generator for pressurizing devices or for driving actuators, turbines, engines or other working machines.

20. System according to claim 17 characterized in that the apparatus or its parts can be arranged freely according to the respective system requirements of an Attitude Control System and/or Divert and Attitude Control System.

21. System according to claim 17, characterized in that the apparatus and the gel fuel are provided with a device configured for switching off and re-igniting the gas generator during operation.

22. System according to claim 21, characterized in that the system has an additional transverse thrust system and a thrust vector control.

23. Apparatus for trajectory control and/or position control of a missile, comprising a controllable gas generator, which comprises: a fuel flow control valve controlling a fuel flow of gel fuel; an injector head with one or more injector elements which receive said fuel flow from said fuel flow control valve; a combustion chamber operatively connected to said injector head to combust said gel fuel in said combustion chamber wherein said one or more injector elements inject said fuel flow of said gel fuel into said combustion chamber with sufficient fuel flow to maintain combustion and form pressurized combustion gases; and at least one outflow nozzle, which receives said combustion gases from said combustion chamber and discharges said combustion gases from said outflow nozzle to an exterior of said missile to generate lateral thrust oriented laterally relative to a longitudinal axis of said missile, said outflow nozzle including one of a variable nozzle throat cross-section, which is adjustable to vary the variable nozzle throat cross-section, and at least one throttle to vary said discharge of said combustion gases and said lateral thrust generated therefrom.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said combustion chamber includes an igniter device for igniting said combustion of said gel fuel within said combustion chamber and a control device for controlling and regulating fuel mass flow through said injector elements, a combustion chamber pressure during said combustion, and a nozzle outlet cross-section to vary said discharge of said combustion gases.

Description

(1) An embodiment of the invention will be described below. Thereby

(2) FIG. 1 shows the schematic sketch for a trajectory control of an endo-atmospheric missile,

(3) FIG. 2 shows the detailed representation of the gas generator components according to the invention of FIG. 1,

(4) FIG. 3 shows the schematic sketch for a trajectory control of an exo-atmospheric kill vehicle,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic sketch of the apparatus according to the invention with a control of the gel mass flow and the combustion chamber pressure with an trajectory control nozzle,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic sketch analog to FIG. 4 with the difference that a plenum with two transverse thrust nozzles is depicted.

(7) These examples explain the way how such a device can be designed for a trajectory control and/or position control corresponding to given requirements as well as constraints and initial conditions:

(8) FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show a configuration of the apparatus according to the invention with the essential components of the propulsion with all possibilities for controlling the gel mass flow and thereby the thrust. The components consist of a conveyance system 222 in the configuration of a gas generator 109. As shown, in this context the term gas generator is to be understood pars per toto for the conveyance system 222 which can also comprise a pressurization tank.

(9) Furthermore the component of the tank can be seen in the configuration of the gel tank 121, 209. In the depicted embodiment the tank has a cylindrical shape with an internal piston system 224. The piston 224 is set under pressure by gas by means of a corresponding piston 223 and conveys the gel into the combustion chamber 111. This occurs through a regulator valve 226 or a corresponding regulator valve system. The regulator valve serves for controlling the mass flow.

(10) More than one tank can be provided. The injector head 112, 202 can be seen subsequent to the regulator valve 226. Arrows and bubbles in the combustion chamber 111 indicate that the gel fuel is injected into the combustion chamber 111 in this configuration.

(11) Following the combustion chamber the trajectory control nozzle or rather thrust nozzle 204 can be seen, FIG. 4. On the other hand, FIG. 5 shows a special configuration of a transverse thrust nozzle system representing the plenum 221 with only two transverse thrust nozzles 103 as an example.

(12) FIG. 1 shows the schematic sketch for a trajectory control of an endo-atmospheric missile 99. In the application described here the device 100 according to the invention serves for the fast generation of an angle of attack of the missile 99 flying within the atmosphere. The aerodynamic stabilization and control 101, 102 is effective in principle, but not effective enough to provide the agility required for a direct hit.

(13) If immediately after the take-off a quick direction change of the missile towards a collision point should be necessary, the trajectory control device can also be used therefore.

(14) In FIG. 2 a configuration with a one-time re-ignition is shown. This enables to leave the trajectory control device inactive between the phases “initial direction change” and “target approach” and to save the otherwise necessary, although small, reactive-energy or idle consumption of fuel during this phase.

(15) As FIG. 1 shows, four transverse thrust nozzles 103 in cartesian arrangement are used. These are arranged ahead of the centre of gravity 104. The thrust 106 of the active nozzle generates an angle of attack 105 to the incident flow 107. Additionally, the thrust enhances the aerodynamic transverse force 108.

(16) The four nozzles 103 are supplied with gas 110 by a central gel gas generator 109. The gas generator 109 comprises a combustion chamber 111 with injector head 112 and gas pipes 113.

(17) The variation of the nozzle throat cross-section of a nozzle 103 occurs by shifting a conical mandrel 114 extending and retracting in the nozzle throat 115 (the actuator of the mandrel is not shown). One of the two igniters 116 is shown in cross-section, whereas the other is located on the opposite side of the combustion chamber behind the separation bulkhead 117. This insulates the igniter 116 and protects the second igniter against ignition by the gases produced in the gel gas generator during the first operating phase. In the igniter there is a igniting charge 118. Here, a filling of powder particles is shown; but propellants in different configuration and design (monolithic, tablets, rods etc.) are also possible.

(18) The propellant charge of the igniter 118 is ignited by an ignition pill 119 which is initiated through the electric line 120. When the ignition propellant burns, the gas pressure destroys the membrane and the gas generated by the igniter 116 flows into the combustion chamber 111.

(19) The initial process starts with the pressurization of the gel fuel tank 121. When the pressure transducer 122 registers that a given threshold value is exceeded, the ignition can be enabled (here not depicted in the figure). The function of the gas generator is initiated by the ignition of the first igniter 116.

(20) As described above, the gas produced by the propellant 118 flows into the combustion chamber 111. When the pressure transducer 123 registers that a specified threshold value is exceeded, the gel fuel supply is started. The valve 124 opens and the gel fuel 125 flows from the tank 121 through the gel fuel conduits 126 and 127 into the injector head 112 and is injected into the combustion chamber. During the starting procedure the conical mandrels 114 are set to a position which on the one hand guarantees a sufficient insulation and on the other hand does not cause any pressure peaks during the starting procedure.

(21) The gas being formed in the combustion chamber 111 flows through the nozzles 103 to the atmosphere and generates a repulsive force. The resultant of all four repulsive forces then is the desired lateral force.

(22) The regulation of the gel fuel flow can be performed by means of the valve 124 as along as the flow conditions in the injector enable a combustion. The control of the mandrels 114 independent from each other enables the adjustment of the common outlet cross-sections such that the combustion chamber pressure is in a range appropriate for the quality of the combustion and nozzle flow.

(23) If the gel fuel mass flow becomes so small that the injectors do no longer operate correctly, closable injector elements have to be used. If the gel fuel gas generator should be switched off in the meantime all injector elements are advantageously implemented as injector elements which can be switched off.

(24) FIG. 3 shows the schematic sketch for a trajectory control of an exo-atmospheric kill vehicle.

(25) In this application stronger thrust nozzles orientated through the centre of gravity cause the trajectory change and peripheral smaller thrust nozzles cause the position change or stabilization. FIG. 3 illustrates the arrangement of some essential components for such a collision apparatus.

(26) Here a central gas generator 200 is constructed in principle like the central gas generator 109 in FIG. 2.

(27) The same applies for the injector head 202 (112) with the control for the variable injectors 215 and the valve actuating system 203 with trajectory control nozzles 204.

(28) Furthermore, gas is piped from the central gas generator 200 through the pipe 205 to the actuating system 206 for the position control nozzles 207 and 208. Two nozzles 208 enabling a roll control or stabilization are respectively oriented normal to the drawing plane.

(29) The fuel tanks 209 and 210 are arranged symmetrically to the centre of gravity and oriented such that the delivery or rather outflow of the gel fuel also occurs symmetrically. Here the advantage of a gel-like fuel that widely behaves like a solid fuel and does not slosh around so that the position of the centre of gravity is not influenced hereby, but remains stable, comes into effect. The gel fuel is passed through the pipes 211 and 212 to the flow control device 213. From this device the gel fuel is passed through the pipe 214 to the injector head 202.

(30) The pressurized gas for the fuel conveyance is carried along in the gas tank 216. For symmetry reasons it can be possible to use two gas tanks arranged symmetrically to the centre of gravity, if the required gas mass is large or a heavy gas like nitrogen or argon is used. However, helium is preferably used; for shorter storage period hydrogen is also recommendable. The pressurization gas flows through the closing valve 219 and the pipe 217 to the pressure reducer 218. The gas pipe 220 then guides the pressurization gas to the fuel tanks 209 and 210.

(31) For all the components shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 the above-described variants can be used, if this is advantageous for the respective application.

(32) As well others of the above-described components can be added to the components shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. For example, the tanks 209 and 210 can also contain fuel and oxidizer of a two-component system. Then the ratio of the distances of the respective tanks from the centre of gravity of the kill vehicle has to be selected reciprocally corresponding to the mass ratio of fuel and oxidizer.

(33) A further variant provides separate gas generators of different performance for the trajectory control and position control engines. This increases the complexity of the device, but is a solution when no gas directing pipe 205 can be used. It is a disadvantage that the idle gas flow has to be symmetrically discharged unused in a non re-ignitable gas generator 200, whereas it is at least partially used for the position control in the variant shown in FIG. 3. With a re-ignitable gas generator 200 this idle consumption does not exist at the expense of a higher complexity of the device.

(34) In a further variant the position control nozzles are operated with inert gas from the pressurized gas tank 217 of the already present pressurized gas supply for the gel fuel conveyance. This reduces the complexity of the device and is useful when the total impulse required for the position control is relatively small; especially if pressurized gas with smaller mol mass and therefore relative good mass-specific impulse is used.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

(35) 99 missile

(36) 100 angle of attack device

(37) 101 aerodynamic control surface

(38) 102 aerodynamic control surface

(39) 103 transverse thrust nozzle

(40) 104 centre of gravity

(41) 105 angle of attack

(42) 106 thrust

(43) 107 incident flow

(44) 108 aerodynamic transverse force

(45) 109 gas generator

(46) 110 gas

(47) 111 combustion chamber

(48) 112 injector head

(49) 113 gas directing pipe

(50) 114 conical mandrel

(51) 115 nozzle throat

(52) 116 igniter

(53) 117 separation bulkhead

(54) 118 ignition charge/propellant

(55) 119 ignition pill

(56) 120 electric line

(57) 121 gel fuel tank

(58) 122 pressure transducer

(59) 123 pressure transducer

(60) 124 valve

(61) 125 gel fuel

(62) 126 gel fuel pipe

(63) 127 gel fuel pipe

(64) 200 gas generator

(65) 202 injector head

(66) 203 valve actuating system

(67) 204 trajectory control nozzle

(68) 205 conduit or pipe

(69) 206 actuating system

(70) 207 position control nozzle

(71) 208 position control nozzle

(72) 209 fuel tank

(73) 210 fuel tank

(74) 211 pipe

(75) 212 pipe

(76) 213 flow control device

(77) 214 pipe

(78) 215 injector

(79) 216 gas tank

(80) 217 pipe

(81) 218 pressure reducer

(82) 219 closing valve

(83) 220 gas pipe

(84) 221 plenum

(85) 222 conveyance system

(86) 223 piston

(87) 224 piston

(88) 225 pipe

(89) 226 valve