FTT PROPOSES DEVELOPMENT OF A MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED DYNAMIC SEAL. DYNAMIC SEALS ARE USED THROUGHOUT THE TUR…

Public award description

FTT PROPOSES DEVELOPMENT OF A MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED DYNAMIC SEAL. DYNAMIC SEALS ARE USED THROUGHOUT THE TURBOPUMP IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE, PUMP-FED, LIQUID ROCKET ENGINES FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES. THE MOST COMMON APPLICATIONS ARE IN THE LIFT-OFF SEAL (LOS), INTER-PROPELLANT SEAL (IPS), AND BALANCE PISTON SEALS HIGH-PRESSURE ORIFICE (HPO), LOW-PRESSURE ORIFICE (LPO), AND INNER DIAMETER IMPELLER SHROUD SEAL (EYE SEAL). THE SYSTEM SOLUTION FOR CONVENTIONAL SEALS REPRESENTS A COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE TURBOPUMP MECHANICAL DESIGN, PRIMARILY FLOWPATH, AND SECONDARY FLOWPATH DESIGN THAT RESULTS IN INCREASED LEAKAGE, INCREASED SEAL WEAR, AND REDUCED BALANCE PISTON LOAD CAPACITY THAT REDUCES PERFORMANCE, THROTTLE-ABILITY, THRUST-TO-WEIGHT, RELIABILITY, AND OPERABILITY. THE MAGNETICALLY ACTUATED SEAL ELIMINATES THIS COMPROMISE AND PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PERFORMANCE, THROTTLE-ABILITY, THRUST-TO-WEIGHT, RELIABILITY, AND OPERABILITY. PHASE 1 WILL ADVANCE THE TECHNOLOGY FROM TRL 2 TO 3. PHASE 2 WILL ADVANCE THE TECHNOLOGY FROM TRL 3 TO 6. THE TECHNOLOGY IS APPLICABLE TO BOOSTER ENGINES, IN-SPACE ENGINES, AND LUNAR ENGINES.