Engine Model: TIROC. Developed in: Early 1960's. Application: Satellite orientation. Propellants: N2O4/MMH. Thrust(vac): 1.00 N (0.20 lbf). Isp: 303 sec. Burn time: 1,000,000 sec. Mass Engine: 0.0800 kg (0.1760 lb). Diameter: 0.0200 m (0.0650 ft). Length: 0.0600 m (0.1960 ft). Chambers: 1. Area Ratio: 100.00. Country: USA. Lutz Kayser invented, developed, and tested the TIROC rocket engine (Tangential Injection and Rotational Combustion). It was the world's smallest thruster burning Monomethylhydrazine and Nitrogen tetroxide. It delivered 1 newton thrust (0.2 lbf) with a minimum burning time of 1 milliseconds and a demonstrated maximum burning time of 1 million seconds (11 days). The valves had response times of under 1 millisecond and were capable of more than 1 million cycles at a 6 sigma confidence level. Kayser also developed one of the first capillary action gas-liquid separation systems. This guaranteed positive liquid flow from propellant tanks to the rocket engines in zero-gravity. Future applications were high performance satellite and space vehicle attitude control systems.
The TIROC was licensed by unknown US manufacturers and used in classified US DoD satellites. Characteristics were:
- Propellants: N2O4/MMH
- Thrust: 1 to 10 Newton
- Tmin: 10^-3 Seconds
- Tmax:>10^6 Seconds
- ISP: 303 Seconds at 100 expansion ratio into vacuum
- Valve response:10^-3 Seconds
- Propellant inlet pressure: 40 bar to 10 bar range (600 psi)
- Chamber material: Pt90-Rh10 or Be for the larger thrust
- Dimensions incl. magnetic valves: 2x2x6 cm
- Mass: 80 gram
- Voltage: 24 VDC @ .5 A opening, .1 A holding current
- Injector type: purely tangential leading to a rotating combustion with Bessel-function gas liquid separation.
This propulsion system was human-rated because the combustion
chamber was unexplodable and could be fired handheld.
Because of the low thrust acceleration capillary action gas-liquid
separation in the propellant was recommended
Bipropellant rocket engine (thruster) applications included: Satellite attitude and position control, re-entry systems, intra-orbit propulsion, docking, astronaut EVA, momentum gyro discharge.
Bibliography:- Kayser, Lutz, Personal communication, 2005.,