• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.6 no.4 s.21
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• pp.38-44
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• 2003

Flow field downstream of an inducer was measured to see the flow and performance characteristics of a turbopump inducer. A large axisymmetric collector instead of a volute casing was installed to obtain circumferentially uniform flow - without interaction of the inducer and the volute. A conventional 3-hole probe was used to measure the flow. At inducer exit, axial component of absolute velocity decreased on hub region with decrease in flow rate. Tangential velocity component, static pressure, and total pressure increased from hub to tip. Relative flow angle from tangential direction was a little higher than outlet blade angle at flow coefficient ${\phi}=0.087$ and 0.073. Dynamic pressure was $53\%$ of the mean total pressure at inducer exit at ${\phi}=0.073$.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.299-303
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• 2005

The present study focuses on the flow analysis of a turbopump inducer by performing both numerical and experimental methods. The head rise, efficiency and detailed flow fields such as outlet flow angles, pressure and velocity vectors are measured and compared with the computational data. Generally a good agreement is obtained between numerical and experimental results. However, some discrepancies are observed due to complex flow structures inside the inducer. Future calculations with an advanced turbulence model and a dense computational grid needs to be performed to obtain accurate numerical solution for the detailed flow fields.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.181-184
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• 2006

We successfully completed the development test for a 10-ton thrust liquid rocket engine using LOX+LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas, or Methane) with a high performance turbopump system. Resulting from the success of the regenerative-cooling capability using LNG, high pressure-generating capability and gas-generating performance, etc, methane engine with the product name CHASE-10 will be commercialized in the near future.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.25-28
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• 2003

The bearing/sealing test (BST) facility is intended for tests of bearing and seal for turbopump of liquid rocket engine (LRE) in various media (water, liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen). The bearing test for serviceability is fulfilled with the estimation of the flow rate of cooling medium through the test bearing separator and with the simulation of axial and(or) radial loading. The purpose of seals test is the determination of magnitude of leakages through the seal and a time variation of this magnitude.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.107-110
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• 2008

The test range for turbopump and gas generator coupled test was determined considering the engine system test area which cover the qualification and development. Based on the test range, we determined the required loss coefficient for the throttle valves and lines.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.5 no.1 s.14
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• pp.27-32
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• 2002

The turbopump inducer cavitation is very important for the success of a liquid rocket engine. In this study, the performance test and cavitation performance test were carried out at various rotational speeds with two inducers of different diameter. The rotational speed was varied by 4000, 6000, and 8000 rpm, and the size effect was tested for the normal inducer and twice-enlarged one. The hydraulic performance results showed that the similarity was satisfied over the entire test range of the present study. The blade thickness effect was examined and showed that the increased blade thickness resulted in decreased efficiency and worse cavitation performance for the large tip clearance. The cavitation performance test results showed that the breakdown NPSH increased as the flow coefficient, and was not affected by the rotational speed.

• The KSFM Journal of Fluid Machinery
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• v.5 no.1 s.14
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• pp.33-41
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• 2002

Low NPSH and high pressure pumps we widely used for turbopump systems, which have an inducer and operate at high rotating speeds. In this paper, a meanline method has been established for the preliminary design and performance prediction of pumps having an inducer for cavitating or non-cavitating conditions at design or off-design points. The method was applied for the performance prediction of a fuel pump. Predicted performances by the method are shown to be in good agreement with experimental results for cavitating and non-cavitating conditions. The established meanline method can be used for the performance prediction and preliminary design of high speed pumps which have a inducer, impeller and volute.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.229-234
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• 2001

The turbopump inducer cavitation is very important for the success of a Liquid rocket engine. In this study the performance test and cavitation performance test were carried out at various rotational speed with two different diameter inducers. The rotational speed were varied 4000, 6000, 8000 rpm and the variation to the diameter of an inducer were taken as design size and 2 times enlarged size. The major results of the present study were as follows. 1. The hydraulic performance results showed that the similarity was met over the entire test range of the present study. 2. The blade thickness effect was examined and showed that the increased blade thickness resulted in decreased efficiency and worse cavitation performance for large tip clearance. 3. The cavitation performance test results showed that the breakdown NPSH increases as the flow coefficient and does not affected by the rotational speed.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.235-242
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• 2001

Hydraulic performance of LCH4 fuel inducer in turbopump system was predicted by 3-D Wavier-stokes calculation. The inducer was designed initially using 1-D method. Different parameters with blade angle and flow coefficient were set from the initial design one, md computation was fulfilled to assess the redesigned models. Especially, influence of inlet back flow on inducer performance and its effective control were explored. The numerical results showed that through reducing inlet back flow strength., the hydraulic efficiency of inducer could be improved up to about $20\%$ compared to that of the initial design one.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.258-263
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• 2001

A fuel pump for a turbopump system has been designed under an international co-work program. The liquid methane fuel pump has an inducer, in front of centrifugal impeller blades, to improve cavitation performance. The three dimensional viscous flow in the fuel pump was investigated through numerical computation. An arrangement of the inducer and impeller has yielded a strong interaction between inducer and impeller blades. The performance of the pump was evaluated from the calculated results. A parametric study was performed for various design variables, and it could oner a database for design parameters to design a fuel pump. A modified design of a fuel pump was proposed by KIMM to improve pump performance.