Patent ID: 11970997
Assignee: UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, L.L.C.
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  B | IPC B  F

Claim 7:
8. A thermodynamic system associated with an upper stage of a launch vehicle, comprising:
a tank storing a gas fluid, and a gas line extending from the tank to receive the gas fluid;
an internal combustion engine (ICE) associated with the gas line, wherein at least some of the gas fluid is configured to be transferred to the ICE for operation of the ICE, and at least some of the gas fluid is configured to be transferred to a thruster to move the upper stage;
a ventilation line associated with the gas line, the ventilation line extending between the gas line and a crankcase associated with the ICE, wherein at least some of the gas fluid is configured to be transferred through the ventilation line to flow through the crankcase of the ICE;
a first coolant conduit having a first coolant fluid, wherein the first coolant fluid is configured to receive heat generated by operation of the ICE, and at least some of the gas fluid transferred to the ICE is configured to receive heat from the first coolant fluid; and
a second coolant conduit having a second coolant fluid, wherein the second coolant fluid is configured to receive heat generated by operation of a heat source different from the ICE, and at least some of the gas fluid transferred to the ICE is configured to receive heat from the second coolant fluid.