Patent ID: 8387359

Claim:
A mono-propellant rocket engine comprising: a main combustion chamber, an electrolytic ignitor, and a main injector, the electrolytic ignitor comprising an injector constituting a first electrode and including a first mono-propellant injector device for injecting a first liquid mono-propellant that is electrically conductive, a second electrode that is electrically insulated from the injector by an insulator, a tank for said first mono-propellant, a solenoid valve interposed between said tank and a distribution channel serving to dispense the first mono-propellant in said first mono-propellant injector device constituted by at least one injection hole opening out in a vicinity of the second electrode, and an electrical power supply circuit, the main injector being situated in the vicinity of the second electrode to inject jets of a second liquid mono-propellant into the main combustion chamber of the rocket engine, wherein the second electrode extends downstream beyond the injector, wherein the first liquid mono-propellant is injected via said at least one injection hole in a form of a free jet that strikes the second electrode in a zone situated outside a body of the injector, and wherein the electrical power supply circuit is adapted to raise the second electrode to a potential lying in a range of 50 volts to 1000 volts relative to a potential of the first electrode, in such a manner that a dissipation of electrical power by ionic conduction in the free jet of the first mono-propellant injected via said at least one injection hole is capable of causing temperature to rise sufficiently to lead to spontaneous decomposition of the first mono-propellant and to a production of combustion gas for ensuring ignition of the jets of the second mono-propellant coming from the main injector.