Peter Eric Woll

6381949, May 7, 2002

Aug 31, 1998

09/144375

Kurt B. Kreiner - Rancho Palos Verdes CA, 90275
David Bronson - San Marino CA, 91108
Carl R. Stechman - Northridge CA, 91326
Peter W. Woll - Santa Clarita CA, 91321
Joel M. Neiderman - Agoura Hills CA, 91301

F02K 942

60258, 2989001

A rocket engine has a combustion chamber, an injector, and an attachment between the combustion chamber and the injector. The attachment includes an annular metallic deposit joined to the chamber wall outer surface, and an annular transition ring structure. The transition ring structure has an annular step collar, and an annular adaptor ring brazed to the annular step collar. The adaptor ring is welded on one end to the injector and on the other end to the metallic deposit.

6397580, Jun 4, 2002

Jul 9, 1998

09/112390

Peter E. Woll - santa Clarita CA
Joel M. Neiderman - Agoura Hills CA
Jeffrey J. Jensen - Reseda CA

Bi-Propellant Rocket Research Corporation - Redmond WA

F02K 942

60258, 60204, 60265

An improved rocket engine combustion chamber design wherein a first or precombustion chamber having a first diameter is located intermediate to a propellant injector and a second or main combustion chamber having a second diameter which is larger than the first diameter. The combustion chamber extends radially outwardly from the first diameter to the second diameter suddenly at the intersection between the precombustion chamber and the main combustion chamber. Film cooling is provided by providing a stratified layer of low temperature fluid adjacent to the inner wall of the precombustion chamber and surrounding a primary inner core of high temperature gases. The sudden stepped expansion at the interface between the precombustion chamber and the main combustion chamber provides secondary recirculation mixing of the propellants and will complete combustion between the main hot gas core and the propellant film cooling layer. In an additional aspect, the inner surface of the precombustion chamber may be made of a material which has a high degree of thermal conductivity to minimize temperature gradients.

6588199, Jul 8, 2003

Mar 22, 2002

10/104327

Peter E. Woll - Santa Clarita CA
Joel M. Neiderman - Agoura Hills CA
Jeffrey J. Jensen - Reseda CA

Aerojet-General Corporation - Redmond WA

F02K 942

60258

An improved rocket engine combustion chamber including a first chamber having a first diameter and located intermediate to a propellant injector and a second chamber having a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter. The combustion chamber extends radially outward from the first diameter to the second diameter suddenly at the intersection between the first and second chambers. Film cooling is provided by providing a stratified layer of low temperature fluid adjacent to the inner wall of the first chamber and surrounding a primary inner core of high temperature gases. The sudden stepped expansion at the interface between the first and second chambers provides secondary recirculation mixing of the propellants and facilitates complete combustion. In an additional aspect, the inner surface of the first chamber may be made of a material that has a high degree of thermal conductivity to minimize temperature gradients.

20020014070, Feb 7, 2002

Jan 30, 2001

09/772196

Rupert Stechman - Northridge CA, US
Peter Woll - Santa Clarita CA, US
Joel Neiderman - Agoura Hills CA, US
Jeffrey Jensen - Reseda CA, US

F02K009/42
F02K009/42

060/257000, 029/890010

A rocket engine has a combustion chamber, an injector, and an attachment between the combustion chamber and the injector. The attachment includes an annular metallic deposit joined to the chamber wall outer surface, and an annular transition ring structure. The transition ring structure has an annular step collar, and an annular adaptor ring brazed to the annular step collar. The adaptor ring is welded on one end to the injector and on the other end to the metallic deposit.

6249967, Jun 26, 2001

Aug 31, 1998

9/144377

Kurt B. Kreiner - Hawthorne CA
David Bronson - Manhattan Beach CA
Carl R. Stechman - Northridge CA
Peter E. Woll - Santa Clarita CA
Joel M. Neiderman - Agoura Hills CA

Hughes Electronics Corporation - El Segundo CA

B23P 1500

2989001

A rocket engine is fabricated by a multistep brazing and welding technique. An annular step collar is fns brazed to a trnnsition joint. This first subassembly is second brazed to the combustion chamber. This second subassembly is third brezed to an annular adaptor to form a third subassembly. The succeeding brazing steps are performed at successively lower temperatures. The third subassembly is welded to an injector.

62696300, Aug 7, 2001

Aug 31, 1998

9/144376

Kurt B. Kreiner - Hawthorne CA
David Bronson - Manhattan Beach CA
Carl R. Stechman - Northridge CA
Peter E. Woll - Santa Clarita CA
Joel M. Neiderman - Agoura Hills CA

Hughes Electronics Corporation - El Segundo CA

F02K 942

60258

A rocket engine includes a generally cylindrical annular combustion chamber, an injector attached to an injector end of the combustion chamber, a generally cylindrical annular step collar fitting within the combustion chamber at the injector end thereof, and an attachment of the combustion chamber, the injector, and the step collar. The maximum outer diameter of the step collar is from about 0. 020 inches to about 0. 024 inches smaller than the inner diameter of the combustion chamber, and has a length of from about 21 to about 31 percent of the length of the combustion chamber. The step collar is made of a material having a melting point greater than that of the combustion chamber. The attachment preferably includes a clip structure joining the combustion chamber and the step collar. The clip structure includes a C-shaped annular clip having a first leg extending parallel to the chamber length and with an inner diameter of about that of the outer diameter of the combustion chamber and affixed thereto, a second leg extending parallel to the chamber length and with an outer diameter of no greater than that of the outer diameter of the step collar and affixed thereto, and a web extending between the first leg and the second leg.