TsSKB Progress is proposing to create a rocket engine operating on LNG

13
In the program of development of astronautics, new items may appear, in accordance with which the industry will create a new launch vehicle and engine for it. According to Russian media reports, the Samara TsSKB Progress prepared a package of documents relating to a promising carrier rocket of the super heavy class. In the future, this rocket may be used to deliver various spacecraft to the moon.

TsSKB Progress is proposing to create a rocket engine operating on LNG


According to Izvestia, with reference to the documentation of TsSKB Progress, the project proposed to Roskosmos implies the creation of not only a launch vehicle, but also a promising engine for it. To achieve high performance, the new super-heavy rocket must be equipped with liquid engines using liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuel pair and liquid oxygen. The proposed fuel has some advantages over currently used kerosene, which can positively affect the operation of rocket technology.

The main advantages of LNG are the comparative simplicity of mining and manufacturing and, as a result, lower cost. In addition, liquefied natural gas compared to kerosene has a wider raw material base. Taking into account the situation in the field of rocket fuel, cheapness and resource base are of great importance. Izvestia notes that in the submitted documents TsSKB Progress describes the prospects for various types of rocket fuel. For example, earlier Soviet and Russian rockets used kerosene obtained from the oil of the Anastasievsko-Troitskoye field (Krasnodar Territory). Deposits are depleted over time, due to which rockets have to be filled with fuel obtained by mixing several types of kerosene. In the future, such a shortage of raw materials will only increase.

An engine that uses fuel vapor LNG-liquid oxygen will be created only in a fairly distant future. Therefore, the period of active exploitation of missiles with a similar power plant may come at a time when oil fields will be depleted, which will affect the cost of kerosene. Thus, liquefied natural gas will be the most efficient fuel in terms of efficiency.

At the same time, LNG makes it possible to reduce the cost of launches now, at current fuel prices. In the future, when using LNG and liquid oxygen, it is possible to reduce the cost of starting 1,5-2 times in comparison with the kerosene-oxygen fuel pair. In addition, liquefied natural gas can be a fuel for reusable rocket engines. In this case, the procedure for cleaning the engine in preparation for the new flight is simplified as much as possible: it is enough to evaporate the remaining liquefied gas.

It should be noted that liquefied natural gas and liquefied methane have long been interested in designers of rocket engines. In comparison with the currently used fuels, LNG and methane allow to achieve higher performance. Nevertheless, both LNG and methane have not yet reached active operation. The main reason for this is the specific characteristics of these types of fuel, as well as their combination with cost.

It is known that an engine using LNG and liquid oxygen has a greater specific impulse compared to a power plant using kerosene. However, methane-based fuels are less dense than kerosene. As a result, the rocket needs a larger fuel tank, which affects its size and starting mass. Ultimately, a rocket with engines operating on LNG or methane has no significant advantages over the "kerosene" one that would allow it to find its place in the space program.

In addition, the economic benefit from the use of alternative fuels is not always appropriate. Izvestia cites the words of Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics. Tsiolkovsky A. Ionin. According to the specialist, only a fraction of a percent of the total cost of the launch is spent on the purchase of fuel. In this case, the savings are not too big. Similarly, the situation with the environmental aspects: A. Ionin notes that rockets fly too rarely to have a noticeable impact on the environmental situation.

However, studies of promising rocket engines are underway, moreover, they began a long time ago. Since the early eighties, NPO Energomash has been exploring promising power plants for launch vehicles, including those with engines using liquefied methane and liquid oxygen. According to some information, currently NPO “Energomash” is engaged in the study of the technical appearance of a new light-carrier rocket. The first stage of this rocket can get a promising single-chamber liquid engine using a methane-oxygen fuel pair that can develop thrust to 200 tons.

The exact prospects of the proposed launch vehicle and engine using LNG are not clear. Officials "Roskosmos" still did not comment on the proposal. The documentation is currently undergoing examination. In this regard, it is too early to talk about the timing of the start and completion of work, as well as the time of the first launches of promising missiles. Apparently, active design work on the new project will begin only after a few years, and carrying out all its phases will require at least 10-12 years. Thus, the operation of the new super-heavy launch vehicle with the engine of the new system can begin no earlier than the second half of the twenties.


On the materials of the sites:
http://izvestia.ru/
http://ria.ru/
http://i-mash.ru/
Our news channels

Subscribe and stay up to date with the latest news and the most important events of the day.

13 comments
Information
Dear reader, to leave comments on the publication, you must sign in.
  1. +7
    20 May 2014 09: 58
    Tired of it! Some projectors, but we still fly in the royal "seven". Observing all these shuffles, you will inevitably conclude that God did not give the current leadership of Roscosmos a strategic vision for the development of cosmonautics.
    1. +1
      20 May 2014 10: 47
      Quote: Jurkovs
      and we still fly on the royal "seven"


      We flew for a long time on the Proton, but now they are already switching to the Angara. "Seven" stopped using a long time ago.
      1. +5
        20 May 2014 13: 15
        Aren't Soyuz-2 and Soyuz-FG modifications of the Seven?
        Maybe it's worth the materiel will refresh?
        1. +1
          21 May 2014 14: 42
          Quote: Bersaglieri
          Aren't Soyuz-2 and Soyuz-FG modifications of the Seven?
          Maybe it's worth the materiel will refresh?


          I talked about the Sevens themselves and not their modifications. And so, I agree that you are also right.
  2. +3
    20 May 2014 10: 02
    Thank you for the wider coverage of the topic raised last week.
  3. +1
    20 May 2014 11: 25
    Gloomy perspective. For 30 years, the Khrunechevites have been making "Angara" kerosene-oxygen, they have not yet done it, but it turns out that kerosene is about to run out for it. Presumably, by the time "progress" makes its exactly the same rocket on gas with blackjack and xxx LNG, it will also suddenly end. It is clear that the "Khrunechevites" will immediately offer their new, exactly the same rocket on crude oil, which will also be finished by that time, and only coal will remain for "progress", with which, apparently, by the time of development, trouble will also happen.
    Maybe all the same, there is something to fix in the conservatory, otherwise these jscs and refineries are already completely fucked up and are not interested in anything else but grabbing money.
    It can already invest normally and make a spaceport for normal hydrogen-oxygen rockets, with a normal infrastructure and security systems, otherwise this whole circus will last forever. Not to mention that the money invested in this mess would have been enough for a long time.
    1. +1
      20 May 2014 19: 07
      Won Russia-M was with hydrogen in the second stage and cut it off
      1. postman
        0
        21 May 2014 02: 13
        Quote: saag
        Won Russia-M was with hydrogen

        1. When was she?
        2. No Rus-M, but "Rus-MP" / Rus-MT-35 / Rus-MT-50.
        Developed, designed as part of the PPTS
        3.RD-0146 is an analogue of the American RL-10B-2 engine, a large share of the financing of the American company Pratt & Whitney (contract with KBHA for the sale of engines worldwide except for the CIS countries).
        And although TNA KBKHA is "the smartest" in the world, so far total running hours in 1680 s, at a power of 60-70% of the nominal
        Quote: saag
        and chopped her

        renew / finish WHERE TO GO?

        The "Angara" launch vehicle with variations is NOT CERTIFIED for manned flights, and probably will not be, since ensuring the continuation of the flight in the event of a failure of one of the engines and the ability of the launch vehicle to leave the start even if one of the engines fails is not provided. And the "union" is already quite tiny
  4. +3
    20 May 2014 13: 17
    The LNG-fueled RD (more precisely, with a hybrid mode of operation - LNG / oxygen or hydrogen / oxygen) was developed back in the 80s for the MAKS and VKS Tu-2000 projects. Then the topic "froze" (for objective reasons).
    Apparently, they decided to reanimate what is reasonable.
  5. +2
    20 May 2014 15: 53
    Here are the methane projects:
    http://www.kbkha.ru/?p=8&cat=11&prod=59

    РД0110МД, РД0162. Methane projects. Perspective reusable launch vehicles

    appointment
    For experimental work on the study of a new combination of fuel - oxygen and liquefied natural gas (LNG) for liquid-propellant rocket engines of promising reusable launch vehicles. The demonstration rocket engine RD0110MD on methane fuel was developed and tested. It was manufactured on the basis of the serial engine RD0110.
    Fire tests of RD0146M on oxygen-LNG components have been successfully carried out.
    The obtained experimental data and the acquired experience in working with LNG are used in the development of engines for promising reusable launch vehicles.
    From 2002 to 2005 work was carried out jointly with Western European partners to create a European methane multiple-propellant liquid propellant rocket engine with a thrust of 200 tf (the Volga project). Since 2006, work has been underway to create a domestic methane multiple rocket engine RD0162 with a thrust of 203,9 tonnes for MRKS-1.
    The RD0162 SD engine is designed for flight testing of the system demonstrator of the returning missile block (first reusable stage) of the MRKS-1 space-rocket complex. The RD0162SD engine is also planned to be used as part of the mid-flight propulsion system of the new small-sized space rocket.
  6. -1
    20 May 2014 23: 21
    TsSKB Progress is proposing to create a rocket engine operating on LNG

    Dead end branch, definitely.
  7. postman
    0
    21 May 2014 01: 55
    It is known that an engine using LNG and liquid oxygen has a higher specific impulse compared to a power plant using kerosene.
    1. LNG density = 400 kg / m³.
    Specific calorific value: 28–46 MJ / m³
    2. The density of kerosene is 780-850 kg / cm³

    specific heat of combustion is about 43 MJ / kg.
    Any questions?
    only +, lighter than air (GHG vapor), therefore it does not accumulate, but rises
    up and disappears
    ==========
    and of course yes: fire tests were carried out (“MVKhrunichev State Space Research and Production Center”) of the RD0146DM fuel-liquid engine - liquid LNG, there’s nothing to do, probably, it’s based on hydrogen-oxygen
    1. 0
      21 May 2014 20: 57
      Quote: Postman
      It is known that an engine using LNG and liquid oxygen has a higher specific impulse compared to a power plant using kerosene.


      Good evening, Vasily. But what's the problem then? In technology? Or politics? As far as I remember 25 years ago, we were working on a gas engine on the Tu-155.
  8. 0
    21 May 2014 04: 09
    I hope for the best ... But no matter how it happened that this new finished engine was not sold to anyone again! And they themselves would fly on old. Russia is rich, but why should foreigners develop a new engine to drive a ton of money when the Russians already have this and almost for nothing ... But, I still hope that they will do it themselves, fly and earn money on the transportation of commercial cargo and foreign astronauts.
  9. 0
    21 May 2014 06: 56
    Actually, the CSCB-progress has never been dealt with by engines, OJSC Kuznetsov is engaged in this in Samara. And in general, the price of fuel is not such a critical parameter in the cost of the launch vehicle, and the maximum specific impulse was always with hydrogen and oxygen.
    1. -1
      30 July 2015 14: 14
      and the maximum specific impulse was always with hydrogen and oxygen.

      Hydrogen has fluorine, but fuel is more toxic.
  10. 0
    21 May 2014 06: 56
    Actually, the CSCB-progress has never been dealt with by engines, OJSC Kuznetsov is engaged in this in Samara. And in general, the price of fuel is not such a critical parameter in the cost of the launch vehicle, and the maximum specific impulse was always with hydrogen and oxygen.
  11. 0
    21 May 2014 14: 32
    One of the most important advantages of LNG as rocket fuel, its cryogenic temperature, which gives better nozzle cooling, and, accordingly, allows to increase the engine characteristics, is not indicated.

"Right Sector" (banned in Russia), "Ukrainian Insurgent Army" (UPA) (banned in Russia), ISIS (banned in Russia), "Jabhat Fatah al-Sham" formerly "Jabhat al-Nusra" (banned in Russia) , Taliban (banned in Russia), Al-Qaeda (banned in Russia), Anti-Corruption Foundation (banned in Russia), Navalny Headquarters (banned in Russia), Facebook (banned in Russia), Instagram (banned in Russia), Meta (banned in Russia), Misanthropic Division (banned in Russia), Azov (banned in Russia), Muslim Brotherhood (banned in Russia), Aum Shinrikyo (banned in Russia), AUE (banned in Russia), UNA-UNSO (banned in Russia), Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People (banned in Russia), Legion “Freedom of Russia” (armed formation, recognized as terrorist in the Russian Federation and banned)

“Non-profit organizations, unregistered public associations or individuals performing the functions of a foreign agent,” as well as media outlets performing the functions of a foreign agent: “Medusa”; "Voice of America"; "Realities"; "Present time"; "Radio Freedom"; Ponomarev; Savitskaya; Markelov; Kamalyagin; Apakhonchich; Makarevich; Dud; Gordon; Zhdanov; Medvedev; Fedorov; "Owl"; "Alliance of Doctors"; "RKK" "Levada Center"; "Memorial"; "Voice"; "Person and law"; "Rain"; "Mediazone"; "Deutsche Welle"; QMS "Caucasian Knot"; "Insider"; "New Newspaper"