Patent ID: 11970996
Assignee: SPECIAL AEROSPACE SERVICES, LLC
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 8:
9. A method of operating a liquid rocket engine (LRE) comprising:
providing a LRE comprising:
a fuel supply line containing a fuel;
an oxidizer supply line containing an oxidizer;
an oxidizer throttle;
a turbine mounted to a turbine shaft along a longitudinal centerline of the LRE;
a main combustion chamber having a main combustion chamber injector head in fluid communication with each of the turbine and at least one of the plurality of partial oxidizer supply lines;

a gas duct;
a flow collimator comprising a set of apertures, the flow collimator in fluid communication with the gas duct and with the main combustion chamber;
a nozzle in fluid communication with the main combustion chamber; and
a preburner combustion chamber having a preburner injector head;

receiving the oxidizer from the oxidizer supply line;
splitting the oxidizer supply line into a plurality of partial oxidizer supply lines;
injecting, using the preburner injector head, the fuel with the oxidizer to create preburner combustion exhaust;
rotating the turbine about the turbine shaft;
flowing, via the gas duct, the preburner combustion exhaust products from the turbine to the main combustion chamber; and
injecting, using the main combustion chamber injector head, the preburner combustion exhaust products received from the turbine with oxidizer to produce an LRE thrust.