Space shuttle main engine turbopump transducer
Abstract
Advances in liquid rocket engine technology were required to meet the life and reuseability criteria set by the Space Shuttle Program for the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME). To verify the SSME design life, extensive development testing and hardware inspection was required. Each SSME has four turbopumps which are used to pump propellant for combustion. One of these turbopumps which pumps liquid oxygen is the High Pressure Oxygen Turbopump (HPPTP). Using a two stage turbine, the HPCTP produces 29,410 horsepower to pump 69.6 pounds per second of liquid oxygen. One area of hardware inspection and testing to insure engine life and operation was in the area of the rocket engine turbopumps bearings. Bearing life is critical to the overall reusability of the HPOTP. After each development test of the SSME, inspection of many engine parts are made. During inspection of the HPOTP it was observed that some of the bearings in the pump were wearing excessively. The bearings in question were the number 3 and 4 bearings in the pump. To determine the cause of the wear, one HPOTP would be instrumented to monitor the bearing conditions.
- Publication:
-
Range Commanders Council Twelfth Transducer Workshop
- Pub Date:
- 1983
- Bibcode:
- 1983rcc..work..151P
- Keywords:
-
- Space Shuttle Main Engine;
- Transducers;
- Turbine Pumps;
- Bearings;
- Durability;
- High Pressure;
- Inspection;
- Oxygen;
- Wear;
- Instrumentation and Photography