Research on the Torque and Starting Characteristics of a Turbopump Turbine

Torque characteristics of a turbopump turbine was analyzed using the turbine performance test result. Specific torque of the subject turbine could be expressed as a linear function of corrected rotor speed at a fixed pressure ratio and it has been confirmed by the test result. It also found that corrected rotor speed-specific torque characteristics does not change anymore if the turbine pressure ratio is set bigger than a certain value. Using the turbine torque characteristics and pyro-starter performance test results, rotational speed development behavior of the turbopump was predicted. Prediction revealed that the lap time reaching 50% of turbopump design speed is less than 0.7 second. Effect of the thermal loss between pyro-starter and turbopump was negligible.