RD-270
Encyclopedia
RD-270 - is a single chamber liquid bipropellant rocket engine
designed by Energomash
(USSR/Russia
) in 1960-1970. It was to be used on the first stages of proposed heavy-lift UR-700 and UR-900 rocket families. It has the highest thrust among single chambered engines of USSR and Russia
, 640 metric tons at the surface of Earth. The propellants used are unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) and nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4). The chamber pressure is among the highest, being about 26 MPa. This was achieved by applying full flow staged combustion cycle for all the incoming mass of fuel, which is turned into a gas and passes through a couple of turbines before being burned in the combustion chamber. This allows it to achieve a specific impulse
of 301s at the Earth's surface.
The engine testing was underway when the decision was made to cancel the program. The development of it was stopped with all other work on corresponding rocket projects on 11 December 1970.
and finished in 1967. It became the most powerful engine in the world with use of high-boiling propellant to date. In the period 1967-1969, several fire tests were performed with experimental engines which were adapted for work at sea level and had short nozzle. Totally 27 fire tests were performed for 22 engines, three engines were tested twice and one of them was tested three times. All works stopped later together with corresponding activities on UR-700 project.
In the period of development Glushko studied use of pentaborane
'zip' propellants in modified RD-270M engine. This would have created immense toxicity problems but increased the specific impulse of the engine by 42 seconds.
To achieve such a high specific impulse
and pressure in combustion chamber
as RD-270 has, two circuits of full flow staged combustion cycle was applied. The pair of turbines with preburners turns into the gaseous form and circulate all mass of fuel components. One of turbines use fuel-rich gas to power fuel pump, another one use oxidizer-rich gas to power oxidizer pump. As a result main combustion chamber (MCC) burns only generator gas. The controller of engine regulates functions of two independent fuel and oxidizer circuits.
With the purpose to cool MCC it has layered walls structure with four internal belts of slots. Some parts of nozzle is covered by zirconium dioxide
for thermal protection.
Rocket engine
A rocket engine, or simply "rocket", is a jet engineRocket Propulsion Elements; 7th edition- chapter 1 that uses only propellant mass for forming its high speed propulsive jet. Rocket engines are reaction engines and obtain thrust in accordance with Newton's third law...
designed by Energomash
NPO Energomash
NPO Energomash “V. P. Glushko” is a Russian manufacturer originated from design bureau, which focuses primarily on the development and production of liquid propellant rocket engines. NPO Energomash is based in Moscow, with satellite facilities in Samara, Perm, and St. Petersburg, and employs close...
(USSR/Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
) in 1960-1970. It was to be used on the first stages of proposed heavy-lift UR-700 and UR-900 rocket families. It has the highest thrust among single chambered engines of USSR and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, 640 metric tons at the surface of Earth. The propellants used are unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) and nitrogen tetroxide (N2O4). The chamber pressure is among the highest, being about 26 MPa. This was achieved by applying full flow staged combustion cycle for all the incoming mass of fuel, which is turned into a gas and passes through a couple of turbines before being burned in the combustion chamber. This allows it to achieve a specific impulse
Specific impulse
Specific impulse is a way to describe the efficiency of rocket and jet engines. It represents the derivative of the impulse with respect to amount of propellant used, i.e., the thrust divided by the amount of propellant used per unit time. If the "amount" of propellant is given in terms of mass ,...
of 301s at the Earth's surface.
The engine testing was underway when the decision was made to cancel the program. The development of it was stopped with all other work on corresponding rocket projects on 11 December 1970.
History
The development of RD-270 started in 26 June 1962 year. Preliminary investigations and development of engine as much as its further production was performed under the guidance of Valentin GlushkoValentin Glushko
Valentin Petrovich Glushko or Valentyn Petrovych Hlushko was a Soviet engineer, and the principal Soviet designer of rocket engines during the Soviet/American Space Race.-Biography:...
and finished in 1967. It became the most powerful engine in the world with use of high-boiling propellant to date. In the period 1967-1969, several fire tests were performed with experimental engines which were adapted for work at sea level and had short nozzle. Totally 27 fire tests were performed for 22 engines, three engines were tested twice and one of them was tested three times. All works stopped later together with corresponding activities on UR-700 project.
In the period of development Glushko studied use of pentaborane
Pentaborane
Pentaborane, also called pentaborane to distinguish it from B5H11, is an inorganic compound with the formula B5H9. It is one of the most common boron hydride clusters, although it is a highly reactive compound. Because of its high reactivity toward oxygen, it was once evaluated as rocket or jet fuel...
'zip' propellants in modified RD-270M engine. This would have created immense toxicity problems but increased the specific impulse of the engine by 42 seconds.
Design
Besides basic data in table it is worth to be mentioned that engine has throttle range 95-105%, control the thrust vector in range ±12° (project R-56) and ±8° for UR-700 rocket family. The oxidizer to fuel ratio is 2.67 and can be changed by 7%.To achieve such a high specific impulse
Specific impulse
Specific impulse is a way to describe the efficiency of rocket and jet engines. It represents the derivative of the impulse with respect to amount of propellant used, i.e., the thrust divided by the amount of propellant used per unit time. If the "amount" of propellant is given in terms of mass ,...
and pressure in combustion chamber
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.-Internal combustion engine:The hot gases produced by the combustion occupy a far greater volume than the original fuel, thus creating an increase in pressure within the limited volume of the chamber...
as RD-270 has, two circuits of full flow staged combustion cycle was applied. The pair of turbines with preburners turns into the gaseous form and circulate all mass of fuel components. One of turbines use fuel-rich gas to power fuel pump, another one use oxidizer-rich gas to power oxidizer pump. As a result main combustion chamber (MCC) burns only generator gas. The controller of engine regulates functions of two independent fuel and oxidizer circuits.
With the purpose to cool MCC it has layered walls structure with four internal belts of slots. Some parts of nozzle is covered by zirconium dioxide
Zirconium dioxide
Zirconium dioxide , sometimes known as zirconia , is a white crystalline oxide of zirconium. Its most naturally occurring form, with a monoclinic crystalline structure, is the rare mineral baddeleyite. The high temperature cubic crystalline form is rarely found in nature as mineral tazheranite O2...
for thermal protection.
See also
- Rocket engineRocket engineA rocket engine, or simply "rocket", is a jet engineRocket Propulsion Elements; 7th edition- chapter 1 that uses only propellant mass for forming its high speed propulsive jet. Rocket engines are reaction engines and obtain thrust in accordance with Newton's third law...
- Staged combustion cycleStaged combustion cycle (rocket)The staged combustion cycle, also called topping cycle or pre-burner cycle, is a thermodynamic cycle of bipropellant rocket engines. Some of the propellant is burned in a pre-burner and the resulting hot gas is used to power the engine's turbines and pumps...
- RD-253RD-253RD-253 - liquid-fuel rocket engine developed by Energomash, Russia. It is used on first stages of the Proton rocket. The RD-253 is the first non-cryogenic engine in the world that uses staged combustion afterburning of oxidizer-rich hot turbine gas...
engine for "Universal RocketUniversal RocketThe Universal Rocket or UR family of missiles and carrier rockets is a Russian, previously Soviet rocket family. Intended to allow the same technology to be used in all Soviet rockets, the UR is produced by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Centre. Several variants were originally...
" family. - RD-170RD-170 (rocket engine)The RD-170 is the world's most powerful liquid-fuel rocket engine, designed and produced in the USSR by NPO Energomash for use with Energia launch vehicle...
comparable Russian RP-1RP-1RP-1 is a highly refined form of kerosene outwardly similar to jet fuel, used as a rocket fuel. Although having a lower specific impulse than liquid hydrogen , RP-1 is cheaper, can be stored at room temperature, is far less of an explosive hazard and is far denser...
/LOXLoxLox is salmon fillet that has been cured. In its most popular form, it is thinly sliced—less than in thickness—and, typically, served on a bagel, often with cream cheese, onion, tomato, cucumber and capers...
engine with four cumbustion chambers. - F-1F-1 (rocket engine)The F-1 is a rocket engine developed by Rocketdyne and used in the Saturn V. Five F-1 engines were used in the S-IC first stage of each Saturn V, which served as the main launch vehicle in the Apollo program. The F-1 is still the most powerful single-chamber liquid-fueled rocket engine ever...
comparable RP-1RP-1RP-1 is a highly refined form of kerosene outwardly similar to jet fuel, used as a rocket fuel. Although having a lower specific impulse than liquid hydrogen , RP-1 is cheaper, can be stored at room temperature, is far less of an explosive hazard and is far denser...
/LOXLoxLox is salmon fillet that has been cured. In its most popular form, it is thinly sliced—less than in thickness—and, typically, served on a bagel, often with cream cheese, onion, tomato, cucumber and capers...
engine. - Proton rocket - successor of one of universal rocket series.
- N1 ("Carrier #1") - alternative rocket for Soviet lunar projects.