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Are turbopumps lubricated?



Are turbopumps lubricated?



The 2019 Stack Overflow Developer Survey Results Are InWhy are rocket engines operating above 100% often considered nominal?Why are Rocket engines at the base of the rocket?What are the maintenance benefits of SABRE engine technology for SSTO launchers?How reliable are pressure fed hypergolic engines?What are the sizes and locations of Progress's thrusters?What's the Isp of a model rocket “D-size” engine, compared to the Isp of engines that do reach space?How large is a magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster? Are there any upcoming programs using it?How are Voyager's 16 thrusters oriented?What are some notable cold gas thruster propellants, and why?What are the 'lights' inside Shuttle main engines at landing?










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?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$







  • 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















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?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$







  • 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













2












2








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?










share|improve this question











$endgroup$




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















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 3 hours ago









called2voyage

17k772129




17k772129










asked 3 hours ago









Manu HManu H

867622




867622







  • 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












  • 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







1




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




$begingroup$
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




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










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.



enter image description here



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






share|improve this answer











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    1 Answer
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    1 Answer
    1






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    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.



    enter image description here



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






    share|improve this answer











    $endgroup$

















      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.



      enter image description here



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






      share|improve this answer











      $endgroup$















        2












        2








        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.



        enter image description here



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






        share|improve this answer











        $endgroup$



        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.



        enter image description here



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







        share|improve this answer














        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer








        edited 3 hours ago

























        answered 3 hours ago









        Organic MarbleOrganic Marble

        59.9k3165256




        59.9k3165256



























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