Stepped Slinger Vapor Seal for Turbopump Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbopumps used in liquid propellant rocket engines face challenges in minimizing fluid leakage due to differential pressures between propellant sections, which increases the mass of fluid that needs to be carried, affecting efficiency and performance.
Innovation Solution
A turbopump design featuring a stepped slinger with radially oriented paddles that creates a high-pressure vapor barrier by rotating fluid, reducing leakage through a seal system with a housing that nests with the slinger, facilitating complete vaporization and minimizing fluid escape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a high pressure vapor seal is used to limit leakage, then fluid leakage is reduced, but the complexity of the seal system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slinger is divided into multiple radial sections (first section, second section, third section) with different radial heights, creating a stepped configuration. Each section handles fluid at different pressure levels, segmenting the sealing function into discrete zones that work together to reduce leakage while maintaining manageable complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The seal system utilizes the radial dimension by positioning sections at different radial heights. The stepped slinger creates radial tiers that guide fluid through controlled paths, adding a radial dimension to the sealing mechanism that enhances leakage prevention without requiring additional axial or circumferential components
2Reliability
If a stepped slinger with multiple radial sections is used, then vapor seal effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple radial sections are merged into a single integrated slinger component rather than separate parts. The stepped configuration is formed as one piece, combining the functionality of multiple sealing zones into a single manufacturable component that reduces assembly steps while maintaining effective vapor sealing
Solution Approach 2:
The slinger design varies the radial height parameter across different sections to create the stepped configuration. By changing the radial dimension parameter systematically from one section to the next, the design achieves enhanced sealing effectiveness while maintaining a regular pattern that simplifies manufacturing compared to irregular multi-component designs
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively limits fluid leakage by generating a high-pressure vapor seal, reducing the mass of fluid needed to be carried and enhancing the efficiency of the turbopump's operation by minimizing condensate escape.
Implementation Method 1
creates a high-pressure vapor barrier by rotating fluid, reducing leakage through a seal system
Data Source
AI summary
A turbopump includes a slinger that has a first section and a second section. The first and second sections are disposed substantially radially in a fluid circuit. The second section is downstream of, and radially inward of, the first section. A housing is located downstream and adjacent to the first section of the slinger and radially outward of the second section of the slinger.