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Magnetic bearings: A key technology for advanced rocket engines?For several years, active magnetic bearings (AMB) have demonstrated their capabilities in many fields, from industrial compressors to control wheel suspension for spacecraft. Despite this broad area, no significant advance has been observed in rocket propulsion turbomachinery, where size, efficiency, and cost are crucial design criteria. To this respect, Societe Europeenne de Propulsion (SEP) had funded for several years significant efforts to delineate the advantages and drawbacks of AMB applied to rocket propulsion systems. Objectives of this work, relative technological basis, and improvements are described and illustrated by advanced turbopump layouts. Profiting from the advantages of compact design in cryogenic environments, the designs show considerable improvements in engine life, performances, and reliability. However, these conclusions should still be tempered by high recurrent costs, mainly due to the space-rated electronics. Development work focused on this point and evolution of electronics show the possibility to decrease production costs by an order of magnitude.
Document ID
19920018482
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Girault, J. PH.
(Societe Europeenne de Propulsion Vernon, France)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
May 1, 1992
Publication Information
Publication: NASA. Langley Research Center, International Symposium on Magnetic Suspension Technology, Part 1
Subject Category
Mechanical Engineering
Accession Number
92N27725
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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