RICHARD THOMAS SMITH
Pilots at 141 St, Kirkland, WA

2009021, Aug 27, 2009

Jan 29, 2007

11/699617

Donald Gerrit Nyberg - Redmond WA, US
Thomas Adrian Groudle - Redmond WA, US
Richard Doyle Smith - Kirkland WA, US
John A. Shuba - Spokane WA, US
Richard T. Smith - Kirkland WA, US

GHKN Engineering, LLC - Redmond WA

F02K 9/86, F02K 9/56, F02K 9/62

60242, 60235, 60240, 60771

The thrust of a rocket motor can be varied to optimize Nozzle Pressure Ratio (NPR) using a design that allows for adjusting the relative position of a plug and a combustion chamber exit. The plug or the exit may be attached to an adaptive control system for position modification. The relative position of the plug and exit may be adjusted to optimize NPR to account for changing propellant flow and/or changing ambient pressure.

5175996, Jan 5, 1993

Oct 16, 1990

7/598457

Richard D. Smith - Kirkland WA

Olin Corporation - Cheshire CT

H05B 100

602031

An apparatus for use in space environments to control the flow of a propellant to a thruster at a low mass flow rate comprises an insulated body having a cavity therein defining a vaporizing chamber, a porous medium having a low liquid permeability disposed in the chamber, a conduit means for feeding a propellant liquid into the chamber and exhausting a propellant vapor from the vaporizing chamber, and a heating means communicating with the medium within the chamber for controllable heating of the liquid propellant in the chamber creating a variable liquid/vapor transition zone within the medium. The transition zone is responsive to the heating means to control the mass flow rate of propellant through the vaporizing chamber. As the liquid/vapor transition zone is moved upstream by increasing the heater output, and thus increasing the volume of vapor within the porous medium, mass flow through the porous medium is decreased. Conversely, movement of the liquid/vapor transition zone downstream through the medium by decreasing the heater output, and thus exposing more of the porous medium volume to liquid, increases the mass flow rate.

2005018, Sep 1, 2005

Feb 25, 2005

11/066412

Donald Nyberg - Redmond WA, US
Thomas Groudle - Redmond WA, US
Richard Smith - Kirkland WA, US

GHKN Engineering LLC - Redmond WA

F02K009/08

060234000, 060253000

The thrust of a rocket motor can be varied while maintaining efficiency over a range of pressure ratios using a design that allows for changing the relative position of a plug and a combustion chamber exit. The plug or the chamber exit may be attached to an adaptive control system for position modification. The plug may be positioned in a plug nozzle configuration or in an expansion-deflection (ED) configuration. In either configuration, the elongated downstream portion of the plug allows for efficiency over a wide range of pressure ratios, while ability to change plug position with respect to the chamber exit allows adjustment of rocket thrust.

5267584, Dec 7, 1993

Oct 2, 1991

7/769698

Richard D. Smith - Kirkland WA

F17D 116

137 13

An apparatus for use in space environments to control the flow of a propellant to a thruster at a low mass flow rate comprises an insulated body having a cavity therein defining a vaporizing chamber, a porous medium having a low liquid permeability disposed in the chamber, a conduit means for feeding a propellant liquid into the chamber and exhausting a propellant vapor from the vaporizing chamber, and a heating means communicating with the medium within the chamber for controllable heating of the liquid propellant in the chamber creating a variable liquid/vapor transition zone within the medium. The transition zone is responsive to the heating means to control the mass flow rate of propellant through the vaporizing chamber. As the liquid/vapor transition zone is moved upstream by increasing the heater output, and thus increasing the volume of vapor within the porous medium, mass flow through the porous medium is decreased. Conversely, movement of the liquid/vapor transition zone downstream through the medium by decreasing the heater output, and thus exposing more of the porous medium volume to liquid, increases the mass flow rate.

4926632, May 22, 1990

Feb 1, 1988

7/150591

Richard D. Smith - Kirkland WA
Steve Knowles - Seattle WA
R. J. Cassady - Bellevue WA
William Smith - Seattle WA
Mark A. Simon - Redmond WA

Olin Corporation - Stamford CT

F02K 1100

602031

An arcjet thruster has a body defining a constrictor and nozzle constituting an anode and forming an arc chamber. An elongated rod constitutes a cathode spaced from the constrictor by a gap generally coextensive with the arc chamber. An electrical potential is applied to the anode and cathode to generate an electrical arc in the arc chamber from the cathode to the anode. Propellant is supplied to the arc chamber with generation of the arc so as to produce thermal heating and expansion of the propellant through the nozzle. The thruster employs several features which improve its performance. One feature relates to the use of propellant blends with high specific impulse additives. Another feature relates to injection of the high specific impulse additive into the bulk propellant feed at the region of the cathode tip. Still another feature relates to recirculation of a small fraction of propellant from the constrictor region of the arc chamber and injection thereof into the bulk propellant feed at the region of the cathode tip. A final feature relates to regeneration and reaction of the bulk propellant feed within the structure of the anode body and circulation to the region of the cathode tip.

4995231, Feb 26, 1991

Sep 25, 1989

7/411798

Richard D. Smith - Kirkland WA
Steve Knowles - Seattle WA
R. J. Cassady - Bellevue WA
William Smith - Seattle WA
Mark A. Simon - Redmond WA

Olin Corporation - Stamford CT

F02K 1100

602031

An arcjet thruster has a body defining a constrictor and nozzle constituting an anode and forming an arc chamber. An elongated rod constitutes a cathode spaced from the constrictor by a gap generally coextensive with the arc chamber. An electrical potential is applied to the anode and cathode to generate an electrical arc in the arc chamber from the cathode to the anode. Propellant is supplied to the arc chamber with generation of the arc so as to produce thermal heating and expansion of the propellant through the nozzle. The thruster employs several features which improve its performance. One feature relates to the use of propellant blends with high specific impulse additives. Another feature relates to injection of the high specific impulse additive into the bulk propellant feed at the region of the cathode tip. Still another feature relates to recirculation of a small fraction of propellant from the constrictor region of the arc chamber and injection thereof into the bulk propellant feed at the region of the cathode tip. A final feature relates to regeneration and reaction of the bulk propellant feed within the structure of the anode body and circulation to the region of the cathode tip.