Compact high power turbopump for a rocket engine

摘要

A compact high power turbopump for feeding liquid propellant to a rocket engine comprises: a short, large diameter shaft that is capable of rotating; a single impeller providing a large pressure rise at a large flow rate, the impeller being mounted on the short shaft so as to constitute a single pump stage; a ball bearing for supporting the short shaft in a small section zone thereof situated in front of the impeller; a fluid bearing dimensioned so as to withstand a high speed of rotation N and having a large diameter D, the fluid bearing serving to support the short shaft in a large section zone situated behind the impeller; a turbine cantilevered out on the short shaft behind the fluid bearing; an inducer of the high pressure type disposed upstream from the ball bearing on the suction pipe; and metal casing elements for the pump and for the turbine that are of simplified shape.