Использование гелия в жидкостных ракетных двигателях

Использование гелия в жидкостных ракетных двигателях

Инженерный журнал: наука и инновации

# 1·2017 11

Using helium in liquid rocket engines

Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Moscow, 105005, Russia

We study a possibility of using helium in propulsion plants with liquid rocket engines

(LREs). We list those properties of helium that might be relevant to developing aerospace

industry assemblies. We consider examples of using helium as a working body in con-

temporary LREs for ensuring the functioning of LRE propulsion plant systems (such as

pressurisation of propellant tanks before launch or the automation component actuator);

we also estimate the role helium plays in the work process taking place in the combustion

chamber. We prove that using helium is advantageous as compared to other inert gases

(for example, nitrogen). We show that, for a range of propellants, adding helium to the

liquid rocket engine combustion chamber may increase specific impulse. We supply

results of promising developments in the sphere of designing LREs with an autonomous

cooling loop and state the advantages of this design option. We emphasise that the sug-

gested method of upgrading existing LREs that employs the helium application tech-

niques described in the article does not entail significant alterations to the engine design,

which means it is economical.

Keywords:

liquid rocket engines, helium, specific impulse, upper stage, promising design

options

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Orlin S.A.

(b. 1937) graduated from Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School in 1960,

Department of Aircraft Engines. Cand. Sci. (Eng.), Assoc. Professor, Department of

Rocket Engines, Bauman Moscow State Technical University.