Catalytic thruster
A monopropellant thruster according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first part having a catalyst bed, a thrust chamber, and a nozzle. The first part is integrally formed via a single additive manufacturing process. The thruster further includes a second part, which is a closeout. A method is also disclosed.
1. A monopropellant thruster, comprising:
a first part including a catalyst bed, a thrust chamber, and a nozzle, wherein the entire first part is integrally formed via a single additive manufacturing process, wherein the first part further includes at least one of an injector, a thruster mount, and a feed tube, and wherein the first part further includes a bed flow spike including a surface exhibiting an increasing slope as the surface extends toward a central axis of the thruster; and
a second part, wherein the second part is a closeout.
2. The thruster as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first part includes an injector.
3. The thruster as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first part includes a thruster mount.
4. The thruster as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first part includes an outer body of the thruster and a feed tube.
5. The thruster as recited in claim 4 , wherein the feed tube includes a main passageway section extending from a feed tube inlet to a plurality of branches extending from the main passageway.
6. The thruster as recited in claim 5 , wherein the plurality of branches are spaced-apart from one another about the central axis of the thruster and are inclined relative to the central axis of the thruster.
7. The thruster as recited in claim 6 , wherein each branch of the plurality of branches is split into two sections leading to a feed tube outlet.
8. The thruster as recited in claim 6 , wherein the first part includes a hollow cylindrical section feed tube outlet and the catalyst bed.
9. The thruster as recited in claim 8 , wherein the catalyst bed is substantially frustoconically shaped.
10. The thruster as recited in claim 9 , wherein the catalyst bed includes a plurality of orifices permitting fluid flow from the catalyst bed to the nozzle.
11. The thruster as recited in claim 4 , wherein the outer body includes an attachment section, a structural support, and the nozzle.
12. The thruster as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first part includes a heat shield within the thrust chamber.
13. The thruster as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first part is attached to the second part by welding.
14. The thruster as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a catalyst in the catalyst bed.
15. A monopropellant thruster, comprising:
a first part including a catalyst bed, a thrust chamber, and a nozzle, wherein the first part is integrally formed via a single additive manufacturing process; and
a second part, wherein the second part is a closeout,
wherein the first part includes an outer body of the thruster and a feed tube,
wherein the feed tube includes a main passageway section extending from a feed tube inlet to a plurality of branches extending from the main passageway,
wherein the plurality of branches are spaced-apart from one another about a central axis of the thruster and are inclined relative to the central axis of the thruster,
wherein the first part includes a hollow cylindrical section feed tube outlet and the catalyst bed, and
wherein the first part includes a bed flow spike including a surface exhibiting an increasing slope as the surface extends toward the central axis of the thruster.
16. A method, comprising:
forming a first part of a thruster by additively manufacturing a catalyst bed together with a thrust chamber and a nozzle, and at least one of an injector, a thruster mount, and a feed tube, wherein the entire first part is integrally formed via a single additive manufacturing process;
attaching a second part of the thruster to the first part, wherein the second part is a closeout; and
adding catalyst into the catalyst bed between the forming and the attaching.
17. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the attaching includes welding the second part to the first part.
18. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein a centerline of the nozzle is inclined relative to a central axis of the thruster.
19. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprising forming a catalyst substrate integrally with one of the first part and the second part.
20. The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the first part further includes a bed flow spike including a surface exhibiting an increasing slope as the surface extends toward a central axis of the thruster.