RD-170 (rocket engine)
Encyclopedia
The RD-170 is the world's most powerful liquid-fuel rocket engine
, designed and produced in the USSR by NPO Energomash
for use with Energia
launch vehicle. This bipropellant engine burns the Russian equivalent of RP-1
fuel and LOX
oxidizer in four combustion chamber
s supplied by a single turbo pump according to a staged combustion cycle
and is rated at ~20,000,000 HP.
and Russian rocket engines use the approach of clustering small combustion chambers around a single turbine and pump. During the early 1950s, many Soviet engine designers, including Glushko, faced problems of combustion instability, while designing bigger thrust chambers. At that time they solved the problem by using a cluster of smaller thrust chambers.
One RD-170 variant, the RD-171, is currently used in the Zenit rocket
. While the RD-170 had nozzles which swiveled on only one axis, the RD-171 swivels on two axes. Models called the RD-172 and RD-173 were proposed upgrades providing additional thrust, but they were never built.
, replaced the three engines used on early Atlas rockets with a single engine and achieved significant payload and performance gains. This engine has also been chosen to be the main propulsion system for the first stage of the new Russian Rus-M
rocket.
Rocket engine
A rocket engine, or simply "rocket", is a jet engineRocket Propulsion Elements; 7th edition- chapter 1 that uses only propellant mass for forming its high speed propulsive jet. Rocket engines are reaction engines and obtain thrust in accordance with Newton's third law...
, designed and produced in the USSR by NPO Energomash
NPO Energomash
NPO Energomash “V. P. Glushko” is a Russian manufacturer originated from design bureau, which focuses primarily on the development and production of liquid propellant rocket engines. NPO Energomash is based in Moscow, with satellite facilities in Samara, Perm, and St. Petersburg, and employs close...
for use with Energia
Energia
Energia was a Soviet rocket that was designed by NPO Energia to serve as a heavy-lift expendable launch system as well as a booster for the Buran spacecraft. Control system main developer enterprise was the NPO "Electropribor"...
launch vehicle. This bipropellant engine burns the Russian equivalent of RP-1
RP-1
RP-1 is a highly refined form of kerosene outwardly similar to jet fuel, used as a rocket fuel. Although having a lower specific impulse than liquid hydrogen , RP-1 is cheaper, can be stored at room temperature, is far less of an explosive hazard and is far denser...
fuel and LOX
Lox
Lox is salmon fillet that has been cured. In its most popular form, it is thinly sliced—less than in thickness—and, typically, served on a bagel, often with cream cheese, onion, tomato, cucumber and capers...
oxidizer in four combustion chamber
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.-Internal combustion engine:The hot gases produced by the combustion occupy a far greater volume than the original fuel, thus creating an increase in pressure within the limited volume of the chamber...
s supplied by a single turbo pump according to a staged combustion cycle
Staged combustion cycle (rocket)
The staged combustion cycle, also called topping cycle or pre-burner cycle, is a thermodynamic cycle of bipropellant rocket engines. Some of the propellant is burned in a pre-burner and the resulting hot gas is used to power the engine's turbines and pumps...
and is rated at ~20,000,000 HP.
Shared turbopump
Several SovietSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Russian rocket engines use the approach of clustering small combustion chambers around a single turbine and pump. During the early 1950s, many Soviet engine designers, including Glushko, faced problems of combustion instability, while designing bigger thrust chambers. At that time they solved the problem by using a cluster of smaller thrust chambers.
Variants
The RD-170 is now out of production, but it forms the basis for a family of modern rocket engines.RD-171
Zenit rocket
Zenit is a family of space launch vehicles designed by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau of Ukraine. Zenit was built in the 1980s for two purposes: as a liquid rocket booster for the Energia rocket and, equipped with a second stage, as a stand-alone rocket...
. While the RD-170 had nozzles which swiveled on only one axis, the RD-171 swivels on two axes. Models called the RD-172 and RD-173 were proposed upgrades providing additional thrust, but they were never built.
RD-180
This variant uses only 2 combustion chambers instead of the 4 of the RD-170. The RD-180 used on the Atlas VAtlas V
Atlas V is an active expendable launch system in the Atlas rocket family. Atlas V was formerly operated by Lockheed Martin, and is now operated by the Lockheed Martin-Boeing joint venture United Launch Alliance...
, replaced the three engines used on early Atlas rockets with a single engine and achieved significant payload and performance gains. This engine has also been chosen to be the main propulsion system for the first stage of the new Russian Rus-M
Rus-M
Rus-M was a proposed launcher design which was intended to become Russia's main launch vehicle for manned spaceflight after 2018, and an integral part of the Prospective Piloted Transport System which included a new manned spacecraft being developed to replace the Soyuz.Rus-M was being developed by...
rocket.
RD-191
Yet another variant, the RD-191, will be used in the Russian Angara rocket, which is currently under development.RD-151
The RD-151 is the RD-191 with thrust reduced to 170 tonnes. This engine was fire-tested on July 30, 2009. The first flight test of this engine was conducted on August 25, 2009 as part of the first launch of South Korean Naro-1 rocket. The first stage of the Naro-1 rocket is made of the universal rocket module (URM) from the Angara rocket.RD-180V, RD-175 and RD-193
On 28 July 2011 NPO Energomash summarised the results of the work on Rus-M rocket engine and considered the possibility of construction several new variants of RD-170 family engines. According to the information new and proposed variants will be marked as:- RD-180V for Rus-MRus-MRus-M was a proposed launcher design which was intended to become Russia's main launch vehicle for manned spaceflight after 2018, and an integral part of the Prospective Piloted Transport System which included a new manned spacecraft being developed to replace the Soyuz.Rus-M was being developed by...
rocket. - RD-193 for prospective Soyuz family rockets.
- RD-175 with 9800 kN trust for proposed Energia-K rocket.
Specifications
- 4 combustion chambers, 4 nozzles
- 1 set of turbines and pumps - Turbine produces approximately 257,000 hp (192 MW); equivalent to the power output of 3 nuclear powered icebreakers
- Ignition: Hypergolic
- Vacuum thrust of 1,773,000 lbf (7,887 kN)
- Vacuum Isp of 338 s (3,315 N·s/kg)
- Sea Level Isp of 309 s (3,030 N·s/kg)
- Weight: 9,750 kg (21,500 lb)
- Thrust to weight ratio: 82
