Roket Engines

General concept of step-by-step development of algorithms, gauges and equipment for independent control systems of LRE and LRE-based propulsion systems, which serve diagnostic and emergency protection functions, was developed.
The quasi-stationary mathematical model of oxygen/kerosene engine was tested and debugged. A technique of spectrometric diagnostics of oxygen/kerosene engines during firing tests was developed. Capabilities of optical methods of diagnostics were analyzed as applied to electric rocket engines. Technical specifications, structural electric diagram were developed. Breadboards of separate units of the equipment for spectrometric diagnostics of electric propulsion were made.

Diagnostics of LRE on spectrum of an engine plume Contactless method of LRE diagnostics is based on the changing the spectrum of an engine plume, separation of the chemical elements ablating from the elements of the engine construction or being the pollution in fuel, inter-engine cavities and stand systems in spectrum of lines of chemical elements and assessment of degree of ablation and contamination. This method allows to work in real time and can be effectively used not only in the diagnostics systems but also in emergency systems for prevention of LRE ignition or development of intense erosion processes

Development of a radiation-cooled carbon-carbon composite nozzle extension for the engine of DM-SL booster

Liquid roket engine (LRE) for launchers
For the first time at Keldysh Research Center the high efficiency of LRE working on generator gas staged combustion cycle was substantiated and experimentally demonstrated. Further in the branch the engines of such configuration with high parameters were developed for sustainer and booster stages. They have no analoga in the world practice (engines for launchers: "Proton", "Zenit", "Energia" and others).

Solid rocket motor (SRM)
For cases and nozzles of solid propellant rocket motor (SRM) the new composite and carbon-carbon materials are applied. A new scheme of thrust vector control is created.
Software and the methodologies are developed, it permits a decrease of the amount of SRMs required for finishing development from 100 pieces to 7-10 pieces at the present time.

Hybrid rocket engines (HRE)
At KeRC the works on hybrid rocket engines (HRE) are being carried out. HRE-s have practically all advantages of modern LRE and SRM. They operate on solid propellant and liquid or gaseous oxidizer.
They are intermediate in their specific energy-and-mass parameters between LRE working on cryogenic fuels and SRM.

Nozzles for advanced rocket engines Model nozzles investigated on high-accurate Nozzle Differential Facility (NDF)

ELECTRIC PULSE TECHNOLOGIES.
SPACE AND GROUND APPLICATION.
Electric pulse (EP) technologies are based on using the complex of physical factors accompanying the process of fast conversion of electric energy into the other types of energy by pulse electric discharge (electric explosion) into gaseous (including rarefied), liquid and condensed media: shock wave (SW), luminous radiation, dissociation and ionization of a substance, electromagnetic field, etc. EP technology is realized on the scheme: accumulation of electric energy (for instance, in accumulator)
- commutation of an electric energy source and load (initiation of electric explosion)
- discharge of electric energy into a load. In a series of application, EP technology allows one to achieve qualitatively new results as compared to the other technologies. Keldysh Research Center conducts the work on introduction of EP technology in four directions:
1. Electric rocket propulsion systems on the basis of pulse plasma thrusters of erosion type.
2. Bacterial disinfection of natural and sewage water and other liquids.
3. Processing and strengthening of the materials and applying the coatings.
4. Modeling of pulse mechanical and electrophysical loads on the packages of the materials, samples of propellants and elements of rocketry constructions at small duration of effect.
The developments are protected the RF patents # 2058940 of 27.04.96 (Gold medal on International exhibition "Eureka-97") and #2144003 of 10.01.2000 (Silver medal on International exhibition "Geneva-2000").

Electric propulsion
KeRC is actively engaged in activities on EP. Major emphasis is placed on development of Xenon Hall and ion thrusters. Thrusters of different standard sizes are developed ranging from 50 W to 6 kW power. The level of maturity of developed thrusters ranges from laboratory to flight models.
The production and test facilities of KeRC allow realization of the full cycle of full-scale production of thruster flight prototypes.

Space Activity

Two-phase thermal control systems for the advanced spacecraft.
Heat pipes for Thermal control system of spacecrafts.

Cryo-heat exchanger

The complex counterflow laminar-rib configuration was implemented. Mass flow rate is 0.11 kg/s, temperature in the hot passage is 329 K, in the cold one - 77 K. Thermal effectiveness - 0.98. Sizes: 240x1150x900. Heat exchanger passed the technological & project tests.

Lithium-ion accumulator storage battery

The battery consists of seven accumulators of capacity 50 A*hour, the device of battery charging rate equalizing and the thermo-stabilization system. Heat and electric tests were performed.

Multifunctional engine for SPPS

The engine has been successfully fire tested on pure hydrogen and on combination of oxygen-hydrogen. Temperature in the passage of thermal accumulator - 1500 K.

Laser ignition system

Main advantages of the developed system: reusability (150 operating cycles with different duty cycle), multi-object feature (simultaneous ignition of more than 20 engines), minimum mass at start, possibility of ignition of LRE any propellant at the start and in space. The system has passed the experimental check-out.

SOLAR THERMAL ROCKET ENGINE (STRE)
STRE provides the spacecraft delivery from low Earth orbit to high-altitude elliptic and circular orbits including the geostationary one, as well as to interplanetary trajectories within 10 to 60 days.

Energy transport in space and from space to Earth
Logic of civilization development reveals that already in XXI century humanity shall be forced to get a considerable amount of energy outside Earth for power supply to space objects and energy transport to Earth.

Solar dynamics power systems
Development works on creation of a solar power-and-mechanical system with output power of 10 kW with use of a gas turbine conversion cycle (Brayton cycle) are being conducted.

Provision on space activities
Creation of large orbital complexes and, above all, manned orbital stations makes the problem of fire safety in space very actual. At Keldysh Research Center the works on investigation of composite materials combustion in microgravity are widely developed. Investigations are being carried out both in ground conditions and in full-scale conditions on the "Mir" orbital station.

The works, which are at present under way at KeRC, RSC "Energia" and at NPO "Energomash", are aimed at development of transfer vehicles on the basis of solar power-propulsion system (SPPS). The cruise thermal rocket engine, which is part of the SPPS, provides much greater efficiency as to fuel flow rate as compared to conventional LRE and SRM and reduces the time of SC delivery to GEO by a factor of 5...10.

Development of the droplet cooler-radiator enables a significant improvement of weight-dimension characteristics of power plants of the spacecraft, their reliability, and, accordingly, service life and operational safety.
Design scheme of the closed contour of drop cooler-radiator was developed at providing the start, stop, restarts and optimal energy characteristics of the process. Designs of the drop collectors of two types were developed and the construction of the drop generator was updated on the basis of analysis of the experiment results on the orbital station "Mir".

Hupersonic shock tunnel (HST)

Hydrogen power

Technology of producing synthesis gas (SNG) from methane and water was developed for subsequent hydrogen (or methanol) production. SNG is produced in three-component reactor at development of which the experience in making LRE aggregates has been used. Mass fraction of hydrogen produced from gas mixture is 0.07...0.075 that corresponds to efficiency of the plant on hydrogen output 70...75%. Methanol of high concentration with specific capacity corresponding to the specific capacity of large-scale production was produced from SNG by the generator in a small-sized plant. Developed scheme and operating procedure of the plant allows one to run automatic cyclic operation that is a feature of the process of methanol producing from SNG.
Developed and experimentally grounds of the technology and making small-sizes plants fro hydrogen and methanol production allow one to consider the issue about development of a project of industrial plants linked to definite industrial zones (or objects) with production of energy carriers (hydrogen, methanol) with parallel solving ecological issues, namely, utilization of flare gases.

Within the framework of the complex program of works being fulfilled under the aegis of the National investment company "New power projects", a standby 1 kW power system based on a battery of solid polymer hydrogen-air fuel cells was developed at KeRC, aimed at powering users in an emergency with a main power supply source.
The battery is a part of electrochemical generator whose structure can provide the supply of hydrogen and atmospheric air at required parameters (temperature, pressure, humidity) to fuel cells, as well as heat setting, the automatic maintenance of optimum operating conditions. A hydrogen reserve contained in composite high-pressure cylinders is sufficient for generation of electric power and heat for 12 hours. Direct current generated by the battery is converted at the exit of the electrochemical generator to alternating - 220 V, 50 Hz. Provision is made to use heat evolved by the battery for rooms heating.
An application of power systems with hydrogen-air fuel-cells on proton-transfer membranes to industrial scale will allow, apart from decentralization of power service solving two important and very urgent problems:
- to ensure the independence of power generation from the availability of hydrocarbon fuel;
- to essentially improve ecological conditions, in particular at localities with a high power consumption rate;
For the reasons, many countries, in the world, including Russia, have been deeply involved in research and creation of hydrogen-air fuel-cells with solid polymer electrolyte in the form of proton-transfer membranes.

Accelerators, generators of plasma and lasers

The complex of particle accelerators includes: generators of electrons (beam power of 35...1000 kW, energy - 30...300 keV); generators of negative ions (beam current up to 1 mA, energy - 1...20 keV); generators of neutral particles.

Three phase electric arc heater of "ZVEZDA"-type(plasmatron,plasma torch)

Three phase electric arc heater of "ZVEZDA"-type(plasmatron,plasma torch)

Water Treatment

The microfiltration unit of the UMF type created by specialists of FSUE "Keldysh Research Center" possesses the following competitive advantages:
* Provides the deep purification of natural water and sewage from suspended particles;
* Provides a decrease in the content of oils and oil products in sewage;
* Uses track membranes which are produced by chemical etching of polymeric films, preprocessed by beams of high-energy heavy ions;
* The resource of membranes due to the use of the special hydrodynamic devices, preventing the formation of deposits on a surface of membranes, was increased.
The degree of purification in the units of this type makes up 99,9 % in suspended substances, 99,5 % in oil products, 99,3 % in bacteria.
Now the units of this type are applied at the butylated water plant in Orel (Russia), in Astana (Kazakhstan), and at the water-desalinating plant in Aktau (Kazakhstan).

The recuperation system is intended for converting the residual energy of the exhaust brine into useful energy. The highly effective hydraulic and osmotic exchangers developed by the Russian scientists provide recuperation of up to 75 % of energy required for pressurizing the feed water without consuming energy for an outside power supply.

Installation for laser purification of water surface against oil pollution It is intended for laser combustion of thin oil film on water surface

Vibration Dampers

Vibration dampers made from our all-metal highly-effective viscoelastic material "metallic rubber" are successfully used in branches of the Russian fuel-power complex including gas industry, on nuclear power stations and electric power plants.

C1 refrigerating agent

C1 azeotropic ozone-friendly refrigerating agent featuring a low potential of global warming (GWP<100), an energy efficient substitute for R12, R134a and R600a Freon compounds for domestic and commercial refrigeration equipment and automobile air conditioners.

Presented is the general description (the list and purpose) of software developments for designing SRM.

The modular principle of construction of mathematical processes in SRM and relevant software implementations allow a concerned user to apply the development in rocket engines of any purpose or for solution of problems in a lot of fields of engineering.

Thermal equipment in pilot production line of carbon fibres

Development of thermal equipment in line for continuous process of carbon high-strength bundles of strength 3600-5000 MPa at modulus of elasticity 210-230 GPa from polyacrylonitrile fibre and of high-modulus carbon bundles at modulus 300-500 GPa and strength 2000-3000 MPa and linear density from 33 up to 54000 tex has been completed. They are required for making the modern non-metallic composites (carbon phenolic, carbon-carbon, carbon-ceramic materials).
The proposals on adjustment while tuning the parameters of oxidation furnace and circulation system were developed. The procedures of flow rate distribution of gas-air mixture and air along the sections of the oxidation furnace, adjustment of flow meter parts were proposed. The required means for adjustment of oxidation furnace and circulation system were determined.
The installation for testing the air-heating radiators at simulation of their operating conditions in the oxidation furnace was made. The tests of the developed air-heating radiators on 18 kW and 28 kW were conducted. Their gasdynamic and thermal characteristics were obtained. Their efficiency and maintenance were confirmed.