Analysis of Peculiarities of Liquid Propellant Rocket Engine Startup

Paper number

IAC-06-C4.P.1.05

Author

Dr. Igor Fatuev, NPO Energomash, Russia

Year

2006

Abstract

Startup of liquid propellant rocket engine (LPRE) is one of the critical modes of the engine operation since the engine failure in this mode could lead to the destruction not only of the launch vehicle but also of the tests bench and the launch complex as well.
	Startup design analyses for a prototype engine and modified engines are considered.
	To control the startup process correlations of the processes in some engine elements, their influence on the initial processes in the preburner and the combustion chamber as well as the next dynamics of the engine running into the main mode  are determined.
	Models of control of the turbine surplus power at the engine startup by effecting on three correlated parameters such as flow rate, temperature, and pressure drop are considered.
	Peculiarities of the startup of a propulsion  system, consisting of several LPREs, connected with the inertial losses in supply lines at the moment of simultaneous startup of all engines are studied.
	Inertial losses could result in reduction of pressure at the propellants in pumps inlet to the vapor pressure level that results in cavitation phenomena  and the engine normal operation error. 
	To curtail the duration and depth of the pressure undershoot the effectivity of engines startup time difference and use of gas-liquid damper in the engine feed lines arrangement are considered.
	It is shown that at the different time of the engines startup the pressure undershoot duration significantly reduces but the pressure oscillations remain the same. 
	Use of the damper completely eliminates both the pressure undershoot and the pressure oscillations at the pumps inlet.

Abstract document

IAC-06-C4.P.1.05.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-06-C4.P.1.05.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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