COMBUSTION CHAMBER AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A COMBUSTION CHAMBER

Abstract

A combustion chamber suitable in particular for use in a rocket engine comprises a combustion space, a first wall enclosing the combustion space and cooling duct fins, which extend from a surface of the first wall and separate adjacent cooling ducts from one another. At least one of the cooling duct fins has at its end facing away from the surface of the first wall a bent section, which at least partially covers a cooling duct adjacent to the cooling duct fin.

Claims

1. A combustion chamber, in particular for use in a rocket engine, which comprises: a combustion space; a first wall enclosing the combustion space; and a plurality of cooling duct fins which extend from a surface of the first wall and separate adjacent cooling ducts from one another, wherein at least one of the cooling duct fins has at its end facing away from the surface of the first wall a bent section, which at least partially covers a cooling duct adjacent to the cooling duct fin.

2. The combustion chamber according to claim 1, further comprising a second wall, which is arranged in particular coaxially with the first wall and comprises a surface layer applied to the bent section of the at least one cooling duct fin.

3. The combustion chamber according to claim 1, wherein the bent section of the at least one cooling duct fin completely covers the cooling duct adjacent to the cooling duct fin.

4. The combustion chamber according to claim 1, wherein the bent section of the at least one cooling duct fin has a reduced wall thickness compared to a wall thickness of the cooling duct fin.

5. The combustion chamber according to claim 1, wherein bent sections of adjacent cooling duct fins extend in a same direction in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber substantially parallel to the first wall.

6. The combustion chamber according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the cooling duct fins has a first and a second bent section, which extend opposite to one another in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber substantially parallel to the first wall.

7. The combustion chamber according to claim 1, wherein adjoining bent sections of the cooling duct fins are welded or soldered to one another.

8. A method for production of a combustion chamber suitable in particular for use in a rocket engine, comprising: providing a first wall enclosing a combustion space; and providing a plurality of cooling duct fins, which extend from a surface of the first wall to separate adjacent cooling ducts from one another, wherein at least one of the cooling duct fins is deformed at its end facing away from the surface of the first wall to create a bent section, which at least partially covers a cooling duct adjacent to the cooling duct fin.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein deformation of the at least one cooling duct fin takes place by rolling.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein during deformation of the at least one cooling duct fin a counterholder is introduced into the cooling duct adjacent to the cooling duct fin.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein a surface layer of a second wall arranged in particular coaxially with the first wall is applied to the bent section of the at least one cooling duct fin.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein prior to deformation of the at least one cooling duct fin, a wall thickness of a cooling duct fin section to be deformed to create the bent section is reduced compared with a wall thickness of the cooling duct fin.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of cooling duct fins are deformed at their ends facing away from the surface of the first wall such that bent sections of adjacent cooling duct fins extend in a same direction in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber substantially parallel to the first wall.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the cooling duct fins is deformed at its end facing away from the surface of the first wall such that a first and a second bent section are formed, which extend opposite to one another in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber substantially parallel to the first wall.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein to create the first and second bent section, a parting cut running substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the cooling duct fin is first introduced into the end of the cooling duct fin facing away from the surface of the first wall and cooling duct fin sections to be s deformed, which are separated from one another by the parting cut, are then bent in opposite directions to one another.

16. The method according to claim 8, wherein adjoining bent sections of the cooling duct fins are welded or soldered to one another.

17. A rocket engine with a combustion chamber, the combustion chamber comprising: a combustion space; a first wall enclosing the combustion space; and is a plurality of cooling duct fins which extend from a surface of the first wall and separate adjacent cooling ducts from one another, wherein at least one of the cooling duct fins has at its end facing away from the surface of the first wall a bent section, which at least partially covers a cooling duct adjacent to the cooling duct fin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Preferred embodiments of the disclosure herein are explained in greater detail below with reference to the enclosed schematic drawings, wherein:

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional representation of a first embodiment of a combustion chamber suitable for use in a rocket engine;

[0037] FIGS. 2A-2D illustrate a method for the production of the combustion chamber according to FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional representation of a second embodiment of a combustion chamber suitable for use in a rocket engine;

[0039] FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate a method for the production of the combustion chamber according to FIG. 3;

[0040] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional representation of a third embodiment of a combustion chamber suitable for use in a rocket engine; and

[0041] FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate a method for the production of the combustion chamber according to FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] A combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 1 and suitable for use in a rocket engine comprises a combustion space 12, in which a fuel is burnt during operation of the combustion chamber and thrust is generated by this. The combustion space 12 is enclosed by a first wall 14, which is formed in one piece in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber 10. In the embodiment of a combustion chamber 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, the first wall 14 thus forms an inner wall delimiting the combustion space 12 of the combustion chamber 10. Cooling duct fins 16 extend from a surface 18 of the first wall 14 and are used to separate adjacent cooling ducts 20 from one another. In the embodiment of a combustion chamber 10 illustrated in FIG. 1, the cooling duct fins 16 extend from an outer surface of the inner wall of the combustion chamber 10 delimiting the combustion space 12. The cooling duct fins 16 in the combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 1 are further formed integrated with the first wall 14 and consist of or comprise, like the first wall 14, a satisfactorily thermally conductive copper alloy.

[0043] The cooling duct fins 16 each have at their end facing away from the surface 18 of the first wall 14 a bent section 22, which at least partially covers a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the cooling duct fin 16. The bent sections 22 of cooling duct fins 16 adjacent to one another extend respectively in the same direction in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber 10 parallel to the first wall 14. In the combustion chamber 10 according to FIG. 1, each of the bent sections 22 extends from the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber 10 to the right parallel to the first wall 14 and completely covers a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the cooling duct fin 16 on the right. Each of the bent sections 22 has a reduced wall thickness compared with the wall thickness of the cooling duct fin 16. Bent sections 22 adjoining one another are respectively welded or soldered to one another to ensure a fluid-tight covering of the cooling ducts 20. A welding or soldering region is designated by the reference symbol 28.

[0044] The bent sections 22 of the cooling duct fins 16 form a continuous carrier layer, to which a surface layer 24 is applied. The bent sections 22 of the cooling duct fins 16 thus form jointly with the surface layer 24 a second wall 26, which in the combustion chamber 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 defines an outer wall of the combustion chamber 10. The second wall 26 bears the mechanical loads acting on the combustion chamber 10 in operation of the combustion chamber 10 and is therefore provided with a mechanically highly durable surface layer 24. For example, the surface layer 24 can consist of or comprise a nickel alloy. Alternatively to this, however, the surface layer 24 can also be executed in multiple layers and have a copper alloy layer facing the cooling ducts 20, for example, as well as a nickel alloy layer facing away from the cooling ducts 20.

[0045] In FIGS. 2a through d a method for the production of the combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated. To produce the combustion chamber 10, the first wall 14 enclosing the combustion space 12 and the cooling duct fins 16 are provided, which fins are formed integrated with the first wall 14 in the combustion chamber 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 and separate adjacent cooling ducts 20 from one another. To produce the combustion chamber 10 according to FIG. 1, each of the cooling duct fins 16 is deformed at its end facing away from the surface 18 of the first wall 14 to create a bent section 22, which at least partially covers a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the cooling duct fin 16.

[0046] In the production method illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2D in particular, a wall thickness of a cooling duct fin section to be deformed to form the bent section 22 is first reduced compared with a wall thickness of the cooling duct fin before deformation of the at least one cooling duct fin, see FIG. 2A. To do this, the cooling duct fin section to be deformed is mechanically machined by milling. In FIG. 2A the wall thickness of the cooling duct fin section to be deformed is shown before the mechanical machining by milling by the dashed lines, while the wall thickness of the cooling duct fin section to be deformed in shown after mechanical machining by milling by the continuous lines.

[0047] In the next step illustrated in FIG. 2B, a counterholder 34 is introduced into the cooling duct 20, which is adjacent to the cooling duct fin 16 to be deformed and is to be covered by the bent section 22 of the cooling duct fin 16. The cooling duct fin 16, meaning the cooling duct fin section to be deformed, is then deformed by rolling by a rolling attachment 30, i.e. bent in the direction of the cooling duct 20 to be covered (to the right in FIGS. 2A-2D). The counterholder 34 prevents an undesirable deformation of the cooling duct fin 16 in the region of the cooling duct 20 in this process. The cooling duct fin section to be deformed is first only bent so far in the direction of the cooling duct 20 to be covered that the counterholder 34 can still be removed from the cooling duct 20.

[0048] Following the removal of the counterholder 34 from the cooling duct 20, complete deformation of the cooling duct fin section to be deformed takes place by another rolling attachment 32, so that the bent section 22 is created, which extends substantially perpendicular to the undeformed part of the cooling duct fin 16 and completely covers the cooling duct 20 adjacent to the cooling duct fin 16 on the right, see FIG. 2C. To produce the combustion chamber 10 according to FIG. 1, all cooling duct fins 16 are deformed at their ends facing away from the surface 18 of the first wall 14, as described above, in such a way that the bent sections 22 of cooling duct fins 16 adjacent to one another extend in the same direction in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber 10 substantially parallel to the first wall 14.

[0049] In the next step, adjoining bent sections 22 of the cooling duct fins 16 are welded or soldered to one another, see FIG. 2D, to ensure a fluid-tight covering of the cooling ducts 20. Finally, to create the second wall 26 of the combustion chamber 10, the surface layer 24 can be applied to the continuous, fluid-tight carrier layer formed by the bent sections 22 of the cooling duct fins 16. The surface layer 24 can be applied electrophoretically, galvanically or by spraying onto the carrier layer formed by the bent sections 22 of the cooling duct fins 16. Alternatively to this, however, it is also conceivable to connect the surface layer 24 by other suitable joining techniques, such as welding or soldering, for example, to the carrier layer formed by the bent sections 22 of the cooling duct fins 16. Furthermore, the surface layer 24 of the second wall 26 can be formed in the form of half shells, which are placed onto the carrier layer formed by the bent sections 22 of the cooling duct fins 16 and screwed to one another. A surface layer 24 formed of fiber-reinforced plastic can be applied to the carrier layer formed by the bent sections 22 of the cooling duct fins 16 by winding.

[0050] The combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 3 differs from the arrangement according to FIG. 1 in that the cooling duct fins 16 each have a first and a second bent section 22a, 22b, which each extend opposite to one another in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber 10 substantially parallel to the first wall 14. Each first bent section 22a covers only half of a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 on the right, while each second bent section 22b covers half of a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 on the left. The structure and mode of operation of the combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 3 otherwise correspond to the structure and mode of operation of the arrangement according to FIG. 1.

[0051] FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate a method for the production of the combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 3, which differs from the method used for the production of the combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 1, which method is illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2D, in that to create the first and the second bent section 22a, 22b, a parting cut running substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis L of each cooling duct fin 16 is first introduced into the end of the cooling duct fin 16 facing away from the surface 18 of the first wall 14, see FIG. 4A.

[0052] Cooling duct fin sections to be deformed, which are separated from one another by the parting cut, are then bent by the rolling attachment 30 in opposite directions to one another, see FIG. 4B. A complete deformation of the cooling duct fin sections to be deformed is achieved, as shown in FIG. 4C, by the rolling attachment 32. The bent sections 22a, 22b are thereby created, which extend substantially perpendicular to the undeformed part of the cooling duct fin 16, wherein each first bent section 22a covers half of the cooling duct 20 adjacent to the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 on the right, while each second bent section 22b covers half of a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 on the left.

[0053] Adjoining bent sections 22a, 22b are then welded or soldered to one another to cover the cooling ducts 20 in a fluid-tight manner, see FIG. 4D. A soldering or welding region is again designated by the reference symbol 28. Finally, as described above, the surface layer 24 of the second wall 26 is applied to the carrier layer created by the bent sections 22a, 22b.

[0054] The combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 5 differs from the arrangement according to FIG. 3 in that, viewed in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber 10, only every second cooling duct fin 16 has a first and a second bent section 22a, 22b, which extend respectively opposite to one another in a circumferential direction of the combustion chamber 10 substantially parallel to the first wall 14. Each first bent section 22a completely covers a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 on the right, while each second bent section 22b completely covers a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 on the left. The structure and mode of operation of the combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 5 otherwise correspond to the structure and mode of operation of the arrangement according to FIG. 3.

[0055] FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate a method for the production of the combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 5, which differs from the method used for the production of the combustion chamber 10 shown in FIG. 3, which method is illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4D, in that to create the first and the second bent section 22a, 22b, a parting cut running substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis L of every second cooling duct fin 16 is first introduced into the end of the cooling duct fin 16 facing away from the surface 18 of the first wall 14, see FIG. 6A.

[0056] Cooling duct fin sections to be deformed, which are separated from one another by the parting cut, are then bent by the rolling attachment 30 in opposite directions to one another, see FIG. 6B. A complete deformation of the cooling duct fin sections to be deformed is achieved, as shown in FIG. 6C, by the rolling attachment 32. The bent sections 22a, 22b are thereby created, which extend substantially perpendicular to the undeformed part of the cooling duct fin 16, wherein each first bent section 22a completely covers a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 on the right, while each second bent section 22b completely covers a cooling duct 20 adjacent to the corresponding cooling duct fin 16 on the left.

[0057] Adjoining bent sections 22a, 22b are then welded or soldered to one another to cover the cooling ducts 20 in a fluid-tight manner, see FIG. 6D. A soldering or welding region is again designated by the reference symbol 28. Finally, as described above, the surface layer 24 of the second wall 26 is applied to the carrier layer created by the bent sections 22a, 22b.

[0058] While at least one exemplary embodiment of the present invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a”, “an” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.