A liquid propellant rocket engine includes a pump that is disposed along a central axis. The pump includes a purge system, a collection annulus in fluid communication with the purge system, and a drain. The collection annulus has an outer diameter wall, an inner diameter wall, and an end wall. The end wall defines an annular channel that has a channel depth that varies circumferentially. The drain opens to the collection annulus. At the drain, the annular channel has a lowest point at which the channel depth is maximum depth.

An example turbo-pump for a rocket is provided. The example turbo-pump includes a turbine. A first chamber, coupled to the turbine, receives oxidizer fluid resulting in the oxidizer fluid leaving the first chamber at a faster rate to a reaction chamber. A select amount of the oxidizer fluid enters the turbine. A second chamber, coupled to the turbine, receives fuel resulting in the fuel leaving the second chamber at a faster rate to the reaction chamber. A select amount of the fuel enters the turbine. A plurality of pipes is positioned around the turbine. The plurality of pipes is configured to distribute cooling fluid around the turbine to lower the kinetic energy of the select amount of the fuel and the oxidizer fluid within the turbine.

A powerplant is provided that includes a pre-burner, a combustor, a power turbine, a mechanical load and a propellant system. The combustor is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the pre-burner. The power turbine is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the combustor. The mechanical load is rotatably driven by the power turbine. The propellant system is configured to direct fluid oxygen and fluid hydrogen to the pre-burner to provide an oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the pre-burner. The propellant system is also configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within combustion products received from the pre-burner.

A rocket engine propulsion system having improved engine performance is described herein. The rocket engine propulsion system includes multiple axial counterbalances to reduce or eliminate axial thrust exerted on components of a turbopump. The axial counterbalances can allow for a larger range of axial thrust forces while coupling this ability to a rotational speed (e.g., rotations per minute, or RPM) of a shaft. The axial counterbalances include protrusions that extend circumferentially around a shaft that mate with protrusions on swing arms. The swing arms are rotatably attached to a bracket which is constrained by a static support.

A rocket engine propulsion system having improved engine performance is described herein. The rocket engine propulsion system includes multiple axial counterbalances to reduce or eliminate axial thrust exerted on components of a turbopump. The axial counterbalances can allow for a larger range of axial thrust forces while coupling this ability to a rotational speed (e.g., rotations per minute, or RPM) of a shaft. The axial counterbalances include protrusions that extend circumferentially around a shaft that mate with protrusions on swing arms. The swing arms are rotatably attached to a bracket which is constrained by a static support.

According to one contemplated embodiment of the rocket engine invention, water is first pumped from a water tank through a rocket nozzle cooling heat exchanger wherein it is evaporated into said superheated steam. A generator supplies electricity to an electrolyzer that electrolyzes superheated steam into gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen. The gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen is employed for forming an annular curtain of secondary combustion in a divergent rocket engine. The secondary combustion gas surrounds a central thrust of combustion gas produced in an upstream combustion chamber by a primary injection of hydrogen/oxygen supplied from a liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank. The rocket liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank are pressurized by gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen generated by the electrolyzer.

According to one contemplated embodiment of the rocket engine invention, water is first pumped from a water tank through a rocket nozzle cooling heat exchanger wherein it is evaporated into said superheated steam. A generator supplies electricity to an electrolyzer that electrolyzes superheated steam into gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen. The gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen is employed for forming an annular curtain of secondary combustion in a divergent rocket engine. The secondary combustion gas surrounds a central thrust of combustion gas produced in an upstream combustion chamber by a primary injection of hydrogen/oxygen supplied from a liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank. The rocket liquid hydrogen tank and liquid oxygen tank are pressurized by gaseous hydrogen and gaseous oxygen generated by the electrolyzer.

A turbine includes a shaft configured to rotate about a rotor axis; a pair of rotating blade rows, the pair of rotating blade rows including a pair of disks that extend radially outward from the shaft and are disposed at an interval in a direction of the rotor axis, each one of the pair of rotating blade rows including a plurality of rotating blades arranged in a circumferential direction on an outer peripheral end of the disk; and a pair of stator vane rows disposed in a one-to-one manner on a first side of the pair of rotating blade rows in the direction of the rotor axis, each one of the pair of stator vane rows including a plurality of stator vanes arranged in the circumferential direction, wherein a number of the rotating blades on each one of the pair of rotating blade rows is the same, and a number of the stator vanes on each one of the pair of stator vane rows is the same.

A representative seal system (such as a seal system for a turbopump of a rocket engine) automatically adjusts a balance ratio of a seal. The system can include a ring element encircling an axis. A front side of the ring element contacts a revolving surface to form a seal with the revolving surface. The front side can include a stepped surface having two or more steps. Each step includes a sealing surface configured to contact the revolving surface to form a sealing area that is different from a sealing area of each other sealing surface. Each step is positioned and configured to wear away during operation of the machine to expose an underlying surface to the revolving surface, to change the sealing area and the balance ratio of the seal. A representative method of operating a turbomachinery system includes changing the balance ratio of a seal while rotating a rotor.

A representative seal system (such as a seal system for a turbopump of a rocket engine) automatically adjusts a balance ratio of a seal. The system can include a ring element encircling an axis. A front side of the ring element contacts a revolving surface to form a seal with the revolving surface. The front side can include a stepped surface having two or more steps. Each step includes a sealing surface configured to contact the revolving surface to form a sealing area that is different from a sealing area of each other sealing surface. Each step is positioned and configured to wear away during operation of the machine to expose an underlying surface to the revolving surface, to change the sealing area and the balance ratio of the seal. A representative method of operating a turbomachinery system includes changing the balance ratio of a seal while rotating a rotor.