Patent ID: 8381508

Claim:
A closed-cycle rocket engine assembly comprising: a combustor assembly comprising: a combustion chamber; and a nozzle; a combustor jacket positioned and configured to facilitate a transfer of heat from the combustor assembly into a fluid within the combustor jacket; a turbine in communication with the combustor jacket to receive a fluid heated within the combustor jacket to drive the turbine; a first pump coupled to the turbine to be powered thereby; a mixing chamber comprising: a housing having a perforated tube extending therethrough; a first inlet of the housing for receiving the fluid from the turbine; a second inlet of the tube for receiving a reactant fluid from a first reactant reservoir; and an outlet for delivering a combined fluid from the turbine and the reactant fluid to the first pump; and wherein the first pump is configured to deliver at least a portion of the combined fluid from the mixing chamber into the combustion chamber of the combustor assembly.