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Handbook of Turbomachinery Second Edition Revised - Ventech!

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INTRODUCTION<br />

11<br />

Turbomachines in Rocket<br />

Propulsion Systems<br />

David Mohr<br />

D&E Propulsion, Inc., Mims, Florida, U.S.A.<br />

In this chapter, we focus our attention on the application <strong>of</strong> turbomachinery<br />

to use in rocket propulsion systems. Probably no other single area <strong>of</strong><br />

application has placed such high demands on turbomachinery performance,<br />

especially in the last 15–20 years. It is my intention to explore the evolution<br />

<strong>of</strong> turbomachinery systems as well as some <strong>of</strong> their components beginning<br />

approximately in the early 1950s.<br />

This is not a ‘‘how to design turbomachinery’’ chapter. The relevant<br />

principles <strong>of</strong> fluid mechanics, as well as the design considerations involved,<br />

are treated very thoroughly in the published literature as well as in other<br />

chapters <strong>of</strong> this book. This treatment is by experts in the field. My intent is<br />

for this chapter to bridge a gap that I feel exists between the purely<br />

analytical treatments and the ‘‘practical experience’’ side <strong>of</strong> a relatively<br />

exotic field.<br />

This chapter begins with a rather broad historical account <strong>of</strong> some <strong>of</strong><br />

the key milestones in the development <strong>of</strong> rocket turbomachinery. This<br />

Copyright © 2003 Marcel Dekker, Inc.

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