Thruster using nitrous oxide

Abstract

A thruster is provided that makes it possible to reduce and eventually eliminate the toxicity of storable liquid propellant and improve the low-temperature environment adaptability of propulsion system using the storable liquid propellant. The thruster produces thrust by using catalytic decomposition gas obtained by catalytically decomposing nitrous oxide with a nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst.

1 . A thruster that produces thrust by using catalytic decomposition gas obtained by catalytically decomposing nitrous oxide with a nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       2 . The thruster of  claim 1 , which is a monopropellant thruster that produces thrust by directly exhausting the catalytic decomposition gas to the outside of the thruster. 
   
   
       3 . The thruster of  claim 1 , which is a monopropellant thruster that produces thrust by exhausting thermal decomposition gas obtained by self-decomposing additional nitrous oxide with thermal energy of the catalytic decomposition gas to the outside of the thruster. 
   
   
       4 . The thruster of  claim 2 , comprising heating means for heating the nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       5 . The thruster of  claim 4 , wherein the heating means directs combustion gas generated by mixing the catalytic decomposition gas with fuel to the nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       6 . The thruster of  claim 4 , wherein the heating means is a heater attached to the nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       7 . The thruster of  claim 4 , wherein the heating means is a heater constituted by the nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       8 . The thruster of  claim 3 , comprising heating means for heating the nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       9 . The thruster of  claim 8 , wherein the heating means directs combustion gas generated by mixing the catalytic decomposition gas with fuel to the nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       10 . The thruster of  claim 8 , wherein the heating means is a heater attached to the nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       11 . The thruster of  claim 8 , wherein the heating means is a heater constituted by the nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst. 
   
   
       12 . The thruster of  claim 1 , which is a bipropellant thruster that produces thrust by exhausting combustion gas obtained by combusting a mixture of nitrous oxide and fuel by use of the catalytic decomposition gas and/or combustion gas generated by mixing the catalytic decomposition gas with fuel, to the outside of the thruster. 
   
   
       13 . The thruster of  claim 12 , wherein the fuel is fuel of no or low toxicity selected from the group consisting of alcohols and LPG. 
   
   
       14 . The thruster of  claim 1 , using nitrous oxide gas as pressurant for pressure-feeding the nitrous oxide and/or the fuel.