Turbo Pump Partition Wall Isolates Bearing From Slinger Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
In turbo pumps used in rocket engines, the cooling propellant leaks into the turbine disk space due to frictional heat generated by the slinger, leading to potential insufficient cooling and temperature rise, especially when the propellant pressure is low or flow rate is small.
Innovation Solution
A turbo pump design that includes a partition wall dividing the housing into a pressure reduction chamber for the slinger and a bearing accommodation chamber, connected by a clearance flow path, which minimizes the movement of heated propellant towards the bearing, preventing temperature rise and vaporization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a slinger is disposed between the seal part and the bearing to reduce propellant leakage, then the leakage amount of propellant is reduced, but the temperature of the propellant around the bearing rises due to heat generated by the slinger
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a first space (containing the bearing) and a second space (containing the slinger) by a partition wall. This segmentation isolates the heat source (slinger) from the bearing cooling zone, allowing the slinger to vaporize propellant for sealing purposes while the bearing remains in a separate thermal environment where propellant can effectively cool it without excessive temperature rise
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall acts as an intermediary structure between the slinger and the bearing. It allows the system to maintain the beneficial sealing function of the slinger while preventing direct thermal coupling between the heated propellant vapor and the bearing cooling process
2Productivity
If the pressure of the propellant supplied to the bearing is low or the flow rate is small, then the cooling efficiency is reduced, but the propellant is more easily vaporized due to temperature rising from the slinger
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the housing into separate spaces for the bearing and slinger, the system can maintain adequate propellant pressure and flow rate for bearing cooling without the propellant being immediately exposed to the heat source. This spatial separation allows the cooling process to occur before the propellant reaches the vaporization zone
Solution Approach 2:
The partition wall is positioned to prevent heated propellant vapor from the slinger zone from mixing with the cooling propellant in the bearing zone. This preliminary separation prevents the adverse effect of vaporization before it can occur
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
This design effectively suppresses heat transfer from the slinger to the bearing, maintaining the cryogenic liquid's temperature and preventing vaporization, thus ensuring efficient cooling and reducing the risk of bearing wear and seizure.
Implementation Method 1
The slinger is a rotating part having a plurality of wings, and is mounted on the shaft, and thus rotates along with the shaft, thereby decompressing and vaporizing the propellant
Implementation Method 2
Such a bearing generates frictional heat due to the high-speed rotation of the shaft
Implementation Method 3
the bearing is cooled by a propellant having a very low temperature
Implementation Method 4
the bearing is cooled by a propellant having a very low temperature
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A turbo pump (1) includes: an impeller (3) which pressurizes liquid, a turbine disk (4) at which a blade cascade (5) is provided; a shaft (6) which connects the impeller (3) and the turbine disk (4); a bearing (7) which rotatably supports the shaft (6), and a housing (2) which accommodates the impeller (3), the turbine disk (4), the shaft (6), and the bearing (7); a seal part (8) which is provided between the bearing (7) and the turbine disk (4); a slinger (9) which is disposed between the bearing (7) and the seal part (8) and has a disk (9a) which is fixed to the shaft (6), and a plurality of wing parts (9b) which are provided on the seal part (8) side of the disk (9a); and a partition wall (2h) which partitions the inside of the housing (2) into a pressure reduction chamber (2c1) in which the wing parts (9b) of the slinger (9) are disposed, and a bearing accommodation chamber (2c2) in which the bearing (7) is accommodated, the pressure reduction chamber (2c1) and the bearing accommodation chamber (2c2) being connected to each other through a clearance flow path (2i).