Medium and small thrust liquid rocket engine turbine started by single nozzle

Abstract

The invention discloses a small and medium thrust liquid rocket engine turbine started by a single nozzle, and relates to the technical field of liquid rocket engines. The small and medium thrust liquid rocket engine turbine started by the single nozzle comprises a gas collecting ring, a nozzle ring, a turbine disc and a turbine outlet pipe. The gas collecting ring is provided with a gas inlet flange which is used for gas inlet, collection and distribution of turbine working gas in the working stage of an engine. The nozzle ring is composed of a nozzle ring body, a working nozzle, a starting gas connector and a single starting nozzle. The working nozzle is used for partial air inlet and is used for expansion acceleration of turbine working gas in the working stage of the engine. The number of the single starting nozzle is one, the single starting nozzle is used for expansion acceleration of turbine starting gas in the engine starting stage, and the accelerated starting gas pushes a turbine disc and completes turbine rotation. According to the small and medium thrust liquid rocket engine turbine started through the single nozzle, expansion acceleration of starting gas is completed through the single starting nozzle, so that a liquid rocket engine system is simplified, and the weight is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of liquid rocket engine technology, and in particular to a turbine for a small to medium thrust liquid rocket engine that is started by a single nozzle. Background Technology

[0002] Small and medium thrust liquid rocket engines are widely used in the propulsion systems of rockets' first, second, third, and upper stages. The turbine is the power source for the propellant supply system of a liquid rocket engine. Small and medium thrust liquid rocket engines typically employ partial air intake to improve turbine aerodynamic efficiency and have a separate start-up chamber for turbine initiation. This start-up chamber structure not only increases turbine weight but also requires printing and welding to the turbine casing, increasing the complexity of the turbine manufacturing process and hindering cost reduction in engine production. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a single-nozzle-started turbine for small and medium thrust liquid rocket engines, which further simplifies the turbine structure, reduces the turbine manufacturing cost, and improves the turbine's operational reliability.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is as follows:

[0005] A turbine for a medium-thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle start-up includes a gas collecting ring, a nozzle ring, a turbine disk, and a turbine outlet pipe.

[0006] The gas collecting ring has an intake flange and is used for the intake, collection and distribution of turbine working gas during engine operation.

[0007] The nozzle ring comprises a nozzle ring body, a working nozzle, a starting air connector, and a single starting nozzle. The working nozzle provides partial air intake and is used to expand and accelerate the turbine working air during engine operation. The starting air connector is connected to the engine starting air line and is used for the intake of turbine starting air. There is one single starting nozzle, which is used to expand and accelerate the turbine starting air during engine starting; the accelerated starting air drives the turbine disk and initiates turbine rotation.

[0008] The turbine disk is fixed on the turbine pump main shaft. During engine operation, the working air or starting air accelerates and drives the turbine disk to rotate, generating shaft power output.

[0009] The turbine outlet pipe is connected to the nozzle ring and is used for the containment and protection of the turbine disk and the collection of outlet gas.

[0010] Preferably, the intake flange of the gas collecting ring has internal baffle reinforcing ribs and external two or more reinforcing ribs to enhance the rigidity of the intake flange and reduce its deformation and radial displacement.

[0011] Preferably, the gas collecting ring is manufactured as a blank by 3D printing or casting process, and then welded to the nozzle ring after machining.

[0012] Preferably, the nozzle ring is manufactured as a blank by 3D printing or casting process, and then welded to the gas collecting ring after machining.

[0013] Preferably, the nozzle ring body has continuously distributed reinforcing ribs to improve the strength and structural rigidity of the nozzle ring.

[0014] Preferably, the working nozzle is a conical nozzle, and there is one or more of them, which are continuously distributed on the nozzle ring body.

[0015] Preferably, the single starting nozzle is a conical nozzle, which is connected to the starting air connector by welding.

[0016] Preferably, the turbine disk is manufactured by 3D printing or electrical discharge machining to produce turbine blades.

[0017] Preferably, the turbine outlet pipe has a labyrinth seal, orifice seal, honeycomb seal, or bag seal structure, which reduces turbine gas leakage and achieves the effect of turbine sealing.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0019] (1) In the turbine of the small thrust liquid rocket engine of the present invention, a single starting nozzle is used to expand and accelerate the starting gas and drive the turbine disk to rotate to complete the turbine starting. This reduces the starting gas flow rate and pressure requirements, and isolates the working gas and starting gas flow paths, thereby reducing the coupling between turbine starting and normal operation and improving the turbine working reliability.

[0020] (2) This invention proposes a small-thrust liquid rocket engine turbine with single nozzle start-up. The single air inlet nozzle is directly connected to the start-up air connector, which reduces the complexity of turbine manufacturing process, simplifies the liquid rocket engine turbine structure, and significantly reduces the engine turbine manufacturing cost. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine turbine with single-nozzle start-up, as an example of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the nozzle ring in the embodiment.

[0024] Explanation of the markings in the image:

[0025] 1-Gas collecting ring; 2-Nozzle ring; 3-Turbine disk; 4-Turbine outlet pipe; 21-Nozzle ring body; 22-Working nozzle; 23-Starting air connector; 24-Single starting nozzle. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0027] It should also be understood that the terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the invention. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0028] It should also be further understood that the term "and / or" as used in this specification and the appended claims refers to any combination of one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations, and includes such combinations.

[0029] Example

[0030] See Figure 1 The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single nozzle start-up shown includes a gas collecting ring 1, a nozzle ring 2, a turbine disk 3, and a turbine outlet pipe 4.

[0031] The gas collecting ring 1 has an intake flange and is used for the intake, collection and distribution of turbine working gas during engine operation.

[0032] See Figure 2The nozzle ring 2 shown consists of a nozzle ring body 21, a working nozzle 22, a starting air connector 23, and a single starting nozzle 24. The working nozzle 22 provides partial air intake and is used to expand and accelerate the turbine working air during engine operation. The starting air connector 23 is connected to the engine starting air line and is used for turbine starting air intake. There is one single starting nozzle 24, which is used to expand and accelerate the turbine starting air during engine starting; the accelerated starting air pushes the turbine disk 3 and completes turbine rotation.

[0033] The turbine disk 3 is fixed on the turbine pump main shaft. During the engine operation phase, the working air or starting air accelerates and drives the turbine disk 3 to rotate, generating shaft power output.

[0034] The turbine outlet pipe 4 is connected to the nozzle ring 2 and is used for housing and protecting the turbine disk 3 and collecting the outlet gas.

[0035] The intake flange of the gas collecting ring 1 has a baffle reinforcing rib inside and two or more reinforcing ribs on the outside of the intake flange, which are used to enhance the rigidity of the intake flange and reduce the deformation and radial displacement of the intake flange.

[0036] The gas collecting ring 1 is manufactured as a blank through 3D printing or casting process, and then welded to the nozzle ring 2 after machining.

[0037] The nozzle ring 2 is manufactured as a blank through 3D printing or casting process, and then welded to the gas collecting ring 1 after machining.

[0038] The nozzle ring body 21 has continuously distributed reinforcing ribs to improve the strength and structural rigidity of the nozzle ring 2.

[0039] The working nozzle 22 is a conical nozzle, and there is one or more of them, which are continuously distributed on the nozzle ring body 21.

[0040] The single start nozzle 23 is a conical nozzle, which is connected to the start air connector 24 by welding.

[0041] Turbine disk 3 completes the turbine blade manufacturing process through 3D printing or electrical discharge machining.

[0042] The turbine outlet pipe 4 has a labyrinth seal, orifice seal, honeycomb seal or bag seal structure, which reduces the amount of turbine gas leakage and achieves the effect of turbine sealing.

[0043] The turbine operation mode of this single-nozzle-started small-thrust liquid rocket engine is as follows: During the engine start-up phase, the starter gas enters the single starter nozzle 23 through the starter gas connector 24 and accelerates and expands, converting the thermal energy of the starter gas into kinetic energy. The accelerated starter gas drives the turbine disk 3 to rotate, generating shaft work output and completing the turbine rotation. During the stable operation phase of the engine, the working gas enters the gas collecting ring 1 through the gas collecting ring 1's inlet flange and is distributed into the working nozzle 22. The working gas accelerates and expands within the working nozzle 22, converting the thermal energy of the working gas into kinetic energy. The accelerated working gas drives the turbine disk 3 to rotate, generating shaft work output and driving the turbopump to rotate.

[0044] The single-nozzle-started small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine turbine of the present invention reduces the requirements for starting gas flow and pressure, and isolates the working gas and starting gas flow paths, thereby reducing the coupling between turbine starting and normal operation and improving reliability. At the same time, it reduces the complexity of turbine manufacturing process, simplifies the liquid rocket engine turbine structure, and significantly reduces the engine turbine manufacturing cost, making it widely used in the field of rocket engines.

[0045] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

[0046] The contents not described in detail in this specification are common knowledge to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A turbine for a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle starting, characterized in that, Includes a gas collecting ring, nozzle ring, turbine disk, and turbine outlet pipe; The gas collecting ring has an intake flange and is used for the intake, collection and distribution of turbine working gas during engine operation. The nozzle ring consists of a nozzle ring body, a working nozzle, a starting air connector, and a single starting nozzle. The working nozzle provides partial air intake and is used to expand and accelerate the turbine working air during engine operation. The starting air connector is connected to the engine starting air line and is used for turbine starting air intake. There is one single starting nozzle, which is used to expand and accelerate the turbine starting air during engine starting. The accelerated starting air pushes the turbine disk and completes turbine rotation. The turbine disk is fixed on the turbine pump main shaft. During the engine operation phase, the working air or starting air accelerates and drives the turbine disk to rotate to generate shaft power output. The turbine outlet pipe is connected to the nozzle ring and is used for the containment and protection of the turbine disk and the collection of outlet gas.

2. The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle starting according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas collecting ring inlet flange has internal baffle reinforcing ribs and external two or more reinforcing ribs to enhance the rigidity of the inlet flange and reduce its deformation and radial displacement.

3. The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle starting according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas collecting ring is manufactured as a blank through 3D printing or casting process, and then welded to the nozzle ring after machining.

4. The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle start according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle ring is manufactured as a blank through 3D printing or casting process, and then welded to the gas collecting ring after machining.

5. The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle start according to claim 1, characterized in that, The nozzle ring body has continuously distributed reinforcing ribs to improve the strength and structural rigidity of the nozzle ring.

6. The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle starting according to claim 1, characterized in that, The working nozzle is a conical nozzle, and there is one or more of them, which are continuously distributed on the nozzle ring body.

7. The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle starting according to claim 1, characterized in that, The single starting nozzle is a conical nozzle, which is connected to the starting air connector by welding.

8. The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle start according to claim 1, characterized in that, The turbine disk is manufactured by 3D printing or electrical discharge machining to produce turbine blades.

9. The turbine of a small-to-medium thrust liquid rocket engine with single-nozzle starting according to claim 1, characterized in that, The turbine outlet pipe has a labyrinth seal, orifice seal, honeycomb seal or bag seal structure, which reduces the amount of turbine gas leakage and achieves the effect of turbine sealing.

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