Table Of ContentSpringer Aerospace Technology
Wolfgang Kitsche
Operation of
a Cryogenic Rocket
Engine
An Outline with Down-to-Earth
and Up-to-Space Remarks
With100Figuresand19Tables
123
WolfgangKitsche
DeutschesZentrumfürLuft-und
Raumfahrte.V.(DLR)
LangerGrund
74239Hardthausen
Germany
[email protected]
ISBN978-3-642-10564-7 e-ISBN978-3-642-10565-4
DOI10.1007/978-3-642-10565-4
SpringerHeidelbergDordrechtLondonNewYork
SpringerSeriesinAerospaceTechnologyISSN1869-1730 e-ISSN1869-1749
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2010932446
(cid:2)c Springer-VerlagBerlinHeidelberg2011
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...andoneremarkuptoheaven
AllwedoshouldincreasethehonourofGod,
asabeneficialleadforthosewhohavelost
theirconnectiontotheirCreatorandFather
inheavenandtothejoyofthosewhoknow
theirLordandSaviour;onlythenisaservice
complete.Becausewecannotcompleteany
servicewithoutHishelp,prayeristhe
beginningofanydeedandservice.Allhuman
measures,planning andskillareno
guaranteeforthesuccessofanything,butthe
helpofGodcanleadfromsituations without
hopetowonderfulsuccess;forHimnothing
isimpossible.
WolfgangKitsche,June2009
...bymyGodhaveIleapedoverawall.
KingDavid,Psalm18Verse29
Preface
“ATestFacility,ifyou’veseenoneofthem,you’veseenallofthem”;thatwasthe
comment ofacolleague showingapictureinhispresentationabouttheutilisation
ofhydrogen.Thisbookwillinvitethereadertoseenotonlythetrivialpipelineon
thetestfacility,butrathertodiscoverthatherealleffortsaremergingtooperatea
propulsionsystemofultimateperformance.Thedevelopmentandstudiesofmany
branches of science, constructions and prototypes of various high tech companies
havetoprovetheirqualityhere.Aprototypeofsomegigawattsishandedovertothe
testengineerwithavalueofumpteenmillionsofEurosandthefocusofthewhole
spaceprogramisontheresultofhiswork.Thetestcellofthefacilityisthemeeting
pointofspecialistsinthemostexcitingphaseofthedevelopmentofarocketengine.
Someauthorshavingdevotedachapteroftheirbookstothetestfacility,thisbook
sets the focus on the operational aspects of the rocket engine in the test facility.
This book will be useful to engineers and scientists who are concerned with the
test facility, to aerospace students it will provide an insight to the job on the test
facilityandtointerestedreadersitwillprovideanimpressionofthisthrillingarea
ofaerospace.
Thecommentsinthisbookreflecttheexperienceof2decadesoftestperiodson
oneofthetwolargesttestfacilitiesforcryogenicrocketenginesinEurope.
Hardthausen,Germany WolfgangKitsche
October2010
vii
Acknowledgement
Thanksgofirstofalltoeverybodyinthetestteam–onlytheirelaborateworkmade
so many successful tests possible. The author also wants to thank his colleagues
fromtheenginemanufacturerSNECMAfortheamicablecooperationwhichampli-
fied the ability and professionalism of the whole test team. Special thanks go to
Oskar Haidn and Gerd Krühsel for their friendly support; they closely studied the
draftofthisbookandaddressedmanyhourstodiscussingandimprovingthecon-
tent.ThanksarealsoduetotheheadoftheDLRSpacePropulsionInstitute,Stefan
SchlechtriemandtheformerHeadofInstitute,WolfgangKoschelfortheirsupport
inthecourseofproducingthisvolume.Manythanksalsogototheauthor’sfamily
who had to abstain from his presence for many hours but always had the higher
priority.
ThegreatesthonourisduetoGod,whogaveusalltheabilityandtheopportunity
todothisthrillingworkwithoutanyseriousincident.
Hardthausen,Germany WolfgangKitsche
ix
Contents
1 Introduction................................................... 1
2 OperationalAspectsoftheRocketEngineandtheTestFacility ..... 3
2.1 PropulsionSystems........................................ 3
2.2 TestFacilities............................................. 4
3 TestPeriods ................................................... 9
3.1 OrganisationandClientsofTestPrograms..................... 9
3.1.1 DevelopmentTests................................. 10
3.1.2 AcceptanceTests .................................. 11
3.1.3 TechnologySupport................................ 12
3.2 TestCampaignontheTestBench ............................ 12
3.2.1 HandlingoftheSpecimen........................... 13
3.2.2 WorkInstructionsandComputerPrograms............. 14
3.2.3 TestExecution .................................... 14
3.2.4 TestAnalysis...................................... 15
3.2.5 OperationoftheTestBench ......................... 15
3.2.6 Measurement,ControlandCommandSystem .......... 15
3.3 Pre-andPost-TestInspections ............................... 16
3.3.1 FunctionalTest .................................... 16
3.3.2 LeakMeasurement................................. 17
3.3.3 VisualInspection .................................. 18
3.3.4 DeterminationofDimensions........................ 19
3.3.5 PollutionControl .................................. 19
4 EngineTest ................................................... 25
4.1 TestConfiguration......................................... 25
4.2 TestReadiness ............................................ 27
4.3 HotRunPreparation ....................................... 27
4.3.1 ChillDownofCryogenicRocketEngines.............. 27
4.4 HotRun ................................................. 28
4.4.1 StartUpTransient ................................. 29
xi
xii Contents
4.4.2 ControlandRegulation ............................. 30
4.4.3 MonitoringofEngineParameters..................... 31
4.4.4 Shut-DownTransient............................... 32
4.5 EnginePerformanceMap................................... 34
4.6 TestofExpanderCycleEngines ............................. 37
5 BenchSystems ................................................ 39
5.1 PrinciplesfortheErectionofaTestFacility.................... 39
5.2 BackUpSystems.......................................... 40
5.3 FuelandOxidiserSupply ................................... 41
5.3.1 VacuumInsulation ................................. 42
5.3.2 FeedSystem ...................................... 43
5.4 Measurement,ControlandCommand(MCC)Systems .......... 46
5.4.1 HistoricalReview.................................. 47
5.4.2 ControlPrograms .................................. 49
5.4.3 EngineControl .................................... 53
5.4.4 DataAcquisition................................... 53
5.4.5 MeasurementValidation ............................ 54
5.5 DetectionSystems......................................... 55
5.6 TestCellSystems.......................................... 56
5.7 ExhaustSystem ........................................... 57
5.8 AltitudeSimulation........................................ 60
6 SimulationofFlightConditions ................................. 63
6.1 PumpInletPressureProfile ................................. 63
6.2 PogoOscillation........................................... 66
6.3 AcousticLoad ............................................ 67
6.4 NozzleLoad.............................................. 69
7 WeatherConditions ............................................ 73
7.1 AmbientTemperature ...................................... 73
7.2 RainandHumidity ........................................ 74
7.3 ThunderandLightning ..................................... 75
7.4 SightandFog............................................. 75
7.5 Wind .................................................... 76
7.6 AtmosphericSoundPropagation ............................. 76
8 TestProcedures ............................................... 77
8.1 TestReadinessProcedure ................................... 77
8.2 Non-conformanceProcedure ................................ 78
8.3 RiskManagementDuringOperation.......................... 79
8.4 ConfigurationManagement ................................. 80
9 Safety......................................................... 83
Contents xiii
10 Documentation ................................................ 87
10.1 FacilityDocuments ........................................ 88
10.2 TestDocuments ........................................... 88
10.2.1 TestRequest ...................................... 88
10.2.2 InstructionManual................................. 89
10.2.3 Chronology ....................................... 89
10.2.4 InspectionResults ................................. 89
10.2.5 TestReport ....................................... 89
10.2.6 PlanofActivitiesontheEngine ...................... 90
10.2.7 ChecklistsandWorkProcedures ..................... 90
11 TestTeam ..................................................... 91
Appendix A ChamberValveCharacteristic......................... 95
Appendix B ChamberIgniterCharacteristic ....................... 97
Appendix C Measurement and Correction of the Ovality
ofaVulcainNozzle ............................................. 99
Appendix D CompareofFlowSchemesVulcain/Vulcain2............101
Appendix E FlowSchemeoftheAriane5MainStage................103
Appendix F FlowSchemeofVulcain2 ............................105
Appendix G FlowSchemeofVinci ................................107
Appendix H Mixtures of Oxygen and Nitrogen Close
toTheirBoilingPoints .........................................109
Appendix I JetPump ...........................................113
Appendix J FluidsoftheTestProcess .............................119
Appendix K PressureTransducer .................................123
Appendix L MeasurementChain .................................125
Appendix M ValveControlCircuit ................................127
Appendix N OxygenDetector ....................................131
xiv Contents
References.........................................................133
Index .............................................................135
AbouttheAuthor ..................................................141
