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Are turbopumps lubricated?

Are turbopumps lubricated?

2

$begingroup$

It is easy to find data about rocket engine propellant, but quite difficult to ind information about other fluids used in rocket engine. For engine using a turbopump, this pump turns at quite high speed. Such a piece of mechanic should require lubrication in order to work for more than few seconds.

My question is: in engine using turbopumps (RD-107, RS-25, Vulcain,...) how are the turbopump and other moving parts lubricated? What kind of lubricant is used and how is it distributed to moving parts?

engines

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

called2voyage♦

17k772129

asked 3 hours ago

Manu HManu H

867622

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  The fluid pumped may be used as lubricant too. A hyrdrocarbon lubricant could not be used for a liquid oxygen pump.
  $endgroup$
  – Uwe
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Yep, using the working fluid as the lubricant is pretty common.
  $endgroup$
  – Russell Borogove
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

2

$begingroup$

It is easy to find data about rocket engine propellant, but quite difficult to ind information about other fluids used in rocket engine. For engine using a turbopump, this pump turns at quite high speed. Such a piece of mechanic should require lubrication in order to work for more than few seconds.

My question is: in engine using turbopumps (RD-107, RS-25, Vulcain,...) how are the turbopump and other moving parts lubricated? What kind of lubricant is used and how is it distributed to moving parts?

engines

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

called2voyage♦

17k772129

asked 3 hours ago

Manu HManu H

867622

$endgroup$

• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  The fluid pumped may be used as lubricant too. A hyrdrocarbon lubricant could not be used for a liquid oxygen pump.
  $endgroup$
  – Uwe
  3 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  $begingroup$
  Yep, using the working fluid as the lubricant is pretty common.
  $endgroup$
  – Russell Borogove
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

It is easy to find data about rocket engine propellant, but quite difficult to ind information about other fluids used in rocket engine. For engine using a turbopump, this pump turns at quite high speed. Such a piece of mechanic should require lubrication in order to work for more than few seconds.

My question is: in engine using turbopumps (RD-107, RS-25, Vulcain,...) how are the turbopump and other moving parts lubricated? What kind of lubricant is used and how is it distributed to moving parts?

engines

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

called2voyage♦

17k772129

asked 3 hours ago

Manu HManu H

867622

$endgroup$

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

called2voyage♦

17k772129

asked 3 hours ago

Manu HManu H

867622

share|improve this question

edited 3 hours ago

called2voyage♦

17k772129

asked 3 hours ago

Manu HManu H

867622

edited 3 hours ago

called2voyage♦

17k772129

edited 3 hours ago

called2voyage♦

17k772129

asked 3 hours ago

Manu HManu H

867622

asked 3 hours ago

Manu HManu H

867622

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

2

$begingroup$

The bearings in the SSME (RS-25) had/have no conventional lubrication as such. They were cooled by minute flows of their respective propellants.

Knowing that the bearings have no lubrication except from a minute
transfer film of the Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) from the cages to
the balls, several attempts at improving the lubrication and lowering
the heat generation in the bearings was investigated.

Source: History of Space Shuttle Main Engine Turbopump Bearing Testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center

Also

HPOTP bearings deteriorate quickly for many reasons. The balls wear
the fastest of all the bearing components and, in the process, lose
their preload. Liquid oxygen is their only lubricant and a poor one
at that.

From here

(HPOTP is High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump)

You can see the coolant passage in this cutaway drawing of the Low Pressure Fuel Turbopump from here.

Also see here for more on the High Pressure Fuel Turbopump and here for the High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

59.9k3165256

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

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2

$begingroup$

The bearings in the SSME (RS-25) had/have no conventional lubrication as such. They were cooled by minute flows of their respective propellants.

Knowing that the bearings have no lubrication except from a minute
transfer film of the Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) from the cages to
the balls, several attempts at improving the lubrication and lowering
the heat generation in the bearings was investigated.

Source: History of Space Shuttle Main Engine Turbopump Bearing Testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center

Also

HPOTP bearings deteriorate quickly for many reasons. The balls wear
the fastest of all the bearing components and, in the process, lose
their preload. Liquid oxygen is their only lubricant and a poor one
at that.

From here

(HPOTP is High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump)

You can see the coolant passage in this cutaway drawing of the Low Pressure Fuel Turbopump from here.

Also see here for more on the High Pressure Fuel Turbopump and here for the High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

59.9k3165256

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

2

$begingroup$

The bearings in the SSME (RS-25) had/have no conventional lubrication as such. They were cooled by minute flows of their respective propellants.

Knowing that the bearings have no lubrication except from a minute
transfer film of the Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) from the cages to
the balls, several attempts at improving the lubrication and lowering
the heat generation in the bearings was investigated.

Source: History of Space Shuttle Main Engine Turbopump Bearing Testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center

Also

HPOTP bearings deteriorate quickly for many reasons. The balls wear
the fastest of all the bearing components and, in the process, lose
their preload. Liquid oxygen is their only lubricant and a poor one
at that.

From here

(HPOTP is High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump)

You can see the coolant passage in this cutaway drawing of the Low Pressure Fuel Turbopump from here.

Also see here for more on the High Pressure Fuel Turbopump and here for the High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

59.9k3165256

$endgroup$

add a comment | 

$begingroup$

The bearings in the SSME (RS-25) had/have no conventional lubrication as such. They were cooled by minute flows of their respective propellants.

Knowing that the bearings have no lubrication except from a minute
transfer film of the Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) from the cages to
the balls, several attempts at improving the lubrication and lowering
the heat generation in the bearings was investigated.

Source: History of Space Shuttle Main Engine Turbopump Bearing Testing at the Marshall Space Flight Center

Also

HPOTP bearings deteriorate quickly for many reasons. The balls wear
the fastest of all the bearing components and, in the process, lose
their preload. Liquid oxygen is their only lubricant and a poor one
at that.

From here

(HPOTP is High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump)

You can see the coolant passage in this cutaway drawing of the Low Pressure Fuel Turbopump from here.

Also see here for more on the High Pressure Fuel Turbopump and here for the High Pressure Oxidizer Turbopump.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

59.9k3165256

$endgroup$

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 3 hours ago

Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

59.9k3165256

answered 3 hours ago

Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

59.9k3165256

answered 3 hours ago

Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

59.9k3165256