Hydraulic pump systems

Abstract

A pump system includes a turbine shaft including a turbine disposed thereon to rotate the turbine shaft at a turbine shaft speed due to fluid flow through the turbine and a centrifugal pump directly connected to the turbine shaft and configured to pump hydraulic fluid at the turbine shaft speed. The pump system also includes a speed reduction system operatively connected to the turbine shaft and configured to have an output speed less than the turbine shaft speed and a valve operatively connected to the speed reduction system that is configured to operate at the output speed. The valve is configured to meter flow to the turbine to regulate the turbine shaft speed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pump system, comprising:
 a turbine shaft including a turbine disposed thereon to rotate the turbine shaft at a turbine shaft speed due to fluid flow through the turbine;   a centrifugal pump directly connected to the turbine shaft and configured to pump hydraulic fluid at the turbine shaft speed;
 a speed reduction system operatively connected to the turbine shaft and configured to have an output speed less than the turbine shaft speed; and 
   a valve operatively connected to the speed reduction system and configured to operate at the output speed, wherein the valve is configured to meter flow to the turbine to regulate the turbine shaft speed.   
     
     
         2 . The pump system of  claim 2 , wherein the speed reduction system includes a turbine shaft gear operatively disposed on the turbine shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The pump system of  claim 3 , wherein the speed reduction system includes a valve gear operatively disposed around a valve shaft of the valve to rotate the valve shaft at the output speed. 
     
     
         4 . The pump system of  claim 4 , wherein the speed reduction system further includes a first stage gear meshed with the turbine shaft gear. 
     
     
         5 . The pump system of  claim 4 , wherein the speed reduction system further includes a second stage gear connected to the first stage gear and configured to rotate at a first stage gear speed, wherein the second stage gear is meshed with the valve gear to rotate the valve gear. 
     
     
         6 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine is configured to operate with cold rocket fuel. 
     
     
         7 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the turbine is configured to operate with hot gas. 
     
     
         8 . The pump of  claim 1 , wherein the centrifugal pump is disposed at an opposite end of the turbine shaft relative to the turbine. 
     
     
         9 . The pump of  claim 3 , wherein the valve gear houses a flyweight governor of the valve disposed around the valve shaft. 
     
     
         10 . A hydraulic steering system for a rocket nozzle, comprising:
 a hydraulic mechanism configured to modify a thrust vector of a nozzle; and   a pump system, comprising:
 a turbine shaft including a turbine disposed thereon to rotate the turbine shaft at a turbine shaft speed due to fluid flow through the turbine; 
 a centrifugal pump directly connected to the turbine shaft and in fluid communication with the hydraulic mechanism, wherein the centrifugal pump is configured to pump hydraulic fluid at the turbine shaft speed to the hydraulic mechanism; 
 a speed reduction system operatively connected to the turbine shaft and configured to have an output speed less than the turbine shaft speed; and 
 a valve operatively connected to the speed reduction system and configured to operate at the output speed, wherein the valve is configured to meter flow to the turbine to regulate the turbine shaft speed. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the speed reduction system includes a turbine shaft gear operatively disposed on the turbine shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the speed reduction system includes a valve gear operatively disposed around a valve shaft of the valve to rotate the valve shaft at the output speed. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the speed reduction system further includes a first stage gear meshed with the turbine shaft gear. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the speed reduction system further includes a second stage gear connected to the first stage gear and configured to rotate at a first stage gear speed, wherein the second stage gear is meshed with the valve gear to rotate the valve gear.