Abstract

According to one contemplated embodiment of the rocket engine invention, water is first pumped from a water tank through a rocket nozzle cooling heat exchanger wherein it is evaporated into said superheated steam. A generator supplies electricity to an electrolyzer that electrolyzes superheated steam into gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen. The gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen is employed for forming an annular curtain of secondary combustion in a divergent rocket engine. The secondary combustion gas surrounds a central thrust of combustion gas produced in an upstream combustion chamber by a primary injection of hydrogen/oxygen supplied from a liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank. The rocket liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank are pressurized by gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen generated by the electrolyzer.

IPC Classes  ?

• F02K 9/42 - Rocket-engine plants, i.e. plants carrying both fuel and oxidant thereforControl thereof using liquid or gaseous propellants
• F02K 9/97 - Rocket nozzles
• F02K 9/60 - Constructional partsDetails not otherwise provided for
• F02K 9/44 - Feeding propellants
• F02K 9/56 - Control
• F02K 9/64 - Combustion or thrust chambers having cooling arrangements
• F02K 9/82 - Rocket-engine plants, i.e. plants carrying both fuel and oxidant thereforControl thereof characterised by thrust or thrust vector control by injection of a secondary fluid into the rocket exhaust gases
• F02K 9/50 - Feeding propellants using pressurised fluid to pressurize the propellants
• F02K 9/52 - Injectors
• F02K 9/48 - Feeding propellants using pumps driven by a gas turbine fed by propellant combustion gases
• F02K 9/68 - Decomposition chambers
• F02C 9/58 - Control of fuel supply conjointly with another control of the plant with power transmission control with control of a variable-pitch propeller
• B64G 1/40 - Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems