To space using household gas. A preliminary design of a methane rocket engine has been developed in Russia

Funding for the project is provided for by the new Federal Space Program for 2016–2025

Roscosmos plans to begin development rocket engine on natural gas in the near future. Funding for the corresponding development is included in the project of the Federal space program for 2016–2025 (FKP), sent for approval to the ministries (a copy is in Izvestia). Work on creating a methane engine is provided for in the development work of “DU SV” (“Propulsion systems for launch vehicles”). Within the framework of DU SV, it is planned to develop basic elements of cruising propulsion systems using oxygen-hydrocarbon fuel. Roscosmos is asking for 25.223 billion rubles to be allocated for R&D at DU SV (with the start of funding this year - in the amount of 470.8 million rubles), however, not all of the funds are intended for the creation of a methane engine. "DU SV" includes work on the creation of prototypes of new generation liquid rocket engines equipped with a diagnostic system and emergency protection, and basic elements of engines based on composite materials, namely nozzles, radiation cooling nozzles and bottom screens.

We plan to make a demonstrator of a methane engine, even taking into account the fact that there are no plans to build a carrier with such an engine yet,” says one of the drafters of the FKP project. - By doing so, we are thinking of providing a foundation so as not to lag behind foreign competitors in terms of technology. Bye we're talking about on the creation of a medium thrust engine for the second stage of a promising rocket. Initially, it was planned that the Phoenix rocket would be equipped with methane engines (its development is also planned by the FKP project), but later, taking into account the budget situation, it was decided in principle new rocket not to do, but to return to the idea of ​​recreating the Russian Zenit with a modernized RD-171 engine.

Possibility of using methane as rocket fuel was studied back in the USSR. In Russia, the topic of methane engines was studied by the Khimki NPO Energomash, the Voronezh Chemical Automatics Design Bureau and the Samara TsSKB Progress. In 2012, NPO Energomash held a scientific and technical council on the creation of a rocket engine running on natural gas, where it was proposed to begin the development of a single-chamber engine with a thrust of 200 tons using liquid oxygen - liquefied methane fuel.

In 2014, TsSKB Progress presented its vision of the rocket of the future - a promising super-heavy class carrier, all of whose engines run on liquefied natural gas (LNG). At the same time, Samara residents justified their choice of methane as a fuel with the following arguments: “The proposed fuel is promising, is being actively developed by other industries, has a wider raw material base compared to kerosene and low cost - this is important point, taking into account the period of creation and the planned period of operation of the complex, as well as possible (predicted) problems with kerosene production in 30–50 years.”

TsSKB is already experiencing problems in the production of rocket kerosene. Soyuz rockets, which are made in Samara, now fly on artificially created fuel, because initially only certain types of oil from specific wells were used to create kerosene for these rockets. This is mainly oil from the Anastasievsko-Troitskoye field in Krasnodar region. But oil wells are being depleted, and the kerosene used today is a mixture of compositions that are extracted from several wells. According to experts, the shortage problem here will only get worse.

TsSKB Progress considered that the use of LNG engines will make it possible to “ensure relatively low cost start-up - 1.5–2 times lower than on kerosene engines, highly environmentally friendly, higher specific characteristics, a single type of engine and fuel “LNG + liquid oxygen”, which will significantly simplify the ground infrastructure.”

The chief designer of NPO Energomash, Vladimir Chvanov, previously told Izvestia that, from a design point of view, methane is attractive when creating reusable carriers.

To free the engine cavities, you only need to go through an evaporation cycle - that is, the engine is more easily freed from product residues,” explained Chvanov. - Due to this, methane fuel is more acceptable from the point of view of creating a reusable engine and aircraft reusable. At the same time, the specific impulse of an LNG engine is high, but this advantage is offset by the fact that methane fuel has a lower density, so the total energy advantage is insignificant.

The methane engine is mentioned in relation to flights to Mars: it is believed that it makes sense to equip a Martian rocket with a methane engine, since methane can be synthesized from water and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere of Mars.

Ivan Cheberko

Further development of rocket technology and liquid rocket engines is associated with reducing the costs of launching payloads into space and increasing flight safety. Reducing the cost of launching payloads can be achieved by creating reusable launch vehicles.

To increase the reliability of the design of launch vehicles, it is proposed to use propulsion systems of the first stages of the launch vehicle, consisting of several modular engines, and in the event of failure of one of the engines, the emergency protection system (EPS) turns off the failed engine, and the remaining operational engines are boosted to an amount of thrust that compensates for the loss of the failed one engine. This ensures that the mission of the launch vehicle is completed.

The development of liquid rocket engines using environmentally friendly fuel components: methane (liquefied natural gas) paired with liquid oxygen meets the development trends of modern launch vehicles.

Firstly, the use of two cryogenic components in the engine greatly contributes to solving problems reusable engine, since after turning off the oxygen-methane rocket engine, the remaining fuel quickly evaporates from its lines.

Secondly, the possibility of implementing liquid-propellant rocket engine schemes with afterburning of reducing generator gas on these fuel components makes it possible to increase the reliability of the design of launch vehicles: the consequences of malfunctions in the gas path with excess methane from the generator to the chamber develop much more slowly than in the gas path with excess oxygen, which makes it easier for the SAZ to turn off a failed engine in time.

The study of methane rocket engines began in Japan about 20 years ago as an opportunity to improve the H-II rocket. Recently, Japan began to consider the possibility of creating a two-stage medium-class "J-l upgrade" rocket, as a replacement for the existing J-1 rocket, using a methane rocket engine in the second stage. Fire tests of the engine were carried out. The main engine was developed by XCOR Aerospace specialists, and it is not yet ready for use in space flights, but if the technology proves itself, rocket engines of this type could become the key to interplanetary flights and deep space exploration.

Video: methane engine tests in the Mojave Desert

Surprisingly, this highly flammable gas has never been used as a rocket fuel before. Only now, groups of scientists and engineers from various research centers are developing liquid-oxygen-methane engines of the future to facilitate the process of space exploration and make interplanetary flights possible.

Methane has many benefits. Liquid hydrogen fuel used in spacecraft must be stored at -252.9 degrees Celsius - just 20 degrees warmer absolute zero! Liquid methane, in turn, can be stored at more high temperatures(-161.6 oC). This means that methane tanks do not require powerful thermal insulation, i.e. are becoming lighter and cheaper. In addition, the tanks may be smaller in size, because Liquid methane is denser than liquid hydrogen, which can also save a lot of money for launching a rocket into space. Methane is also safe for humans and environmentally friendly, in contrast to some types of toxic rocket fuel currently used in spacecraft. The main advantage of methane is its significant reserves, and relatively low cost. In addition, methane evaporates fairly quickly, making it easier to clean reusable fuel tanks and engines. In addition, methane fuel has a higher specific impulse, and in terms of thrust per kilogram, it exceeds kerosene by seven to ten percent.

However, the new fuel also has disadvantages. Methane has a lower density, which means its use will require larger fuel tanks.

Big problem In the development of methane engines, the question remains about the ignition ability of methane. Some rocket fuels ignite spontaneously when oxidizers are used, but methane requires an ignition. It is very difficult to make such a fuse on distant planets, where the temperature drops hundreds of degrees below zero. Currently, development is underway on an igniter that would work reliably in any conditions. Methane has slightly worse momentum than hydrogen, but is still better than kerosene. At the same time, it is much cheaper, which is important for frequent flights. In addition, it can be stored at much higher temperatures, which means it will not subject the tank material to embrittlement, as happens with liquid hydrogen.

But the most important thing is that methane exists on many planets and satellites that NASA plans to visit in the future. Among them is Mars. And although Mars is not very rich in methane, methane can be obtained using the Sabatier effect: mix a little carbon dioxide(CO2) with hydrogen (H), then heat the mixture to produce CH4 and H2O - methane and water. The atmosphere of Mars contains huge amounts of carbon dioxide, and the small amount of hydrogen required for the process can be brought with us from Earth or extracted from ice directly on Mars.

XCOR Aerospace has made a methane-powered rocket engine, let's remember the situation in Russia on this topic February 27th, 2013

Methane is used with a liquid oxidizer, most likely oxygen.
The engine is designed for maneuvering satellites in orbits.
http://www.xcor.com/press-releases/2005/05-08-30_XCOR_completes_methane_rocket_engine.html

But the trouble is that if they make such an engine for launch vehicles, then the cost of launching satellites may decrease.

Food for thought - about the state of development of liquid propellant rocket engines (methane)

Liquefied natural gas consists of 90% or more methane. It is non-toxic and passively corrosive. Methane is twice as dense as kerosene, but six times denser than hydrogen. The theoretical specific impulse of liquid oxygen–liquid methane fuel is 3.4% higher than that of liquid oxygen–kerosene fuel, but 20.5% lower than that of liquid oxygen–liquid hydrogen fuel. In terms of volumetric specific impulse, methane is inferior to kerosene.
Average density fuel mixture also much lower: for the kerosene-oxygen pair about 1.0 t/m3 and for methane-oxygen about 0.8 t/m3
It turned out that methane has good cooling properties in combustion chambers with regenerative cooling at a methane temperature in the liquid-propellant rocket engine cooling jacket of up to 760°C. After this, it decomposes to form coke deposits

In Russia, liquid propellant engines running on natural gas and methane are being developed by the M.V. Keldysh Research Center, NPO Energomash, KBKhimmash, FPG "Dvigateli NK", NIIMash and KB Khimavtomatiki.

Developments of the IC named after. M.V.Keldysh

Research Center them. M.V. Keldysh (former Scientific Research Institute of Thermal Processes) develops in principle new concept"Liquid rocket engine of the XXI century."
Distinctive features engines are an open (unclosed) circuit with a gas generator cycle, operating at sufficient high blood pressure(about 120–150 kgf/cm2). In relation to methane liquid propellant engines, such a scheme seems justified, since heat flows into the chamber wall is significantly less than when burning kerosene. In addition, the gas exhausted from the turbopump can be discharged into the nozzle nozzle of the main combustion chamber, used to cool it

Developments of NPO Energomash

NPO Energy Engineering named after academician V.P. Glushko (NPO Energomash) is developing a whole family of engines (RD-169, RD-182, RD-183, RD-190, RD-192) using liquid oxygen - natural gas fuel . The developers chose the path of modifying existing (i.e., developed or designed) oxygen-kerosene liquid-propellant rocket engines. All engines are built in a closed circuit (with the possible exception of RD-183). NPO Energomash uses its experience in developing engines with oxidative gas, in which gas with excess oxygen is burned.
The RD-190, RD-183, RD-169 engines and its high-altitude modification RD-185 are designed largely anew, but using the existing reserves, while the RD-182 and RD-192 are created on the basis of the RD-120K engines/ M and RD-190.

KBKhimmash developments

According to representatives of KBKhimmash, methane liquid-propellant rocket engines differ in development from oxygen-kerosene engines, since they are closer to hydrogen ones. Consequently, the most optimal way to create engines running on natural gas or methane is to modify oxygen-hydrogen liquid rocket engines.

KBKhimmash is modifying the oxygen-hydrogen KVD-1 for the new fuel. In 1997–1998 At the stand in Faustovo, two fire tests of the modernized KVD-1 were carried out, lasting 20 s each, with the thrust and OK/Hor ratio changing within specified limits. A specific impulse of about 370 s was obtained, which is 15–20 s more than that of high-altitude oxygen-kerosene engines. When operating with a low Ok/Gor ratio, no coke precipitation was observed on the turbine, combustion chamber parts, or gas generator.

The management of RKA supports KBKhimmash, suggesting that the specified characteristics can be quickly and reliably obtained using a used engine that does not require lengthy tuning of the units. A possible application of the “methane” KVD-1 could be a modified accelerating block DM-SL for the Zenit-3SL launch vehicle of the Sea Launch complex (increasing the mass of the SG compared to the standard oxygen-kerosene version by 4–5%).

Developments of "Engines NK" and NIIMash

At the “Engine-98” exhibition in June 1998, representatives of the financial and industrial group “NK Engines” (Samara) stated that they were exploring options for converting the NK-33 oxygen-kerosene engines to run on natural gas.
"NK Engines" has accumulated great experience work with natural gas in relation to aviation - modifications have been created there turbojet engines, which have undergone flight tests on the Tu-155 laboratory aircraft when operating on liquid hydrogen and/or natural gas. There is no information about the specific customer and the expected amount of financing, as well as the level of modification of the NK-33.
http://www.iraq-war.ru/article/106212

Strange and old source, but interesting information.

On the readiness of rocket and space technology enterprises to work with methane.
1. Republican Scientific and Practical Center named after. Since 2011, M.V. Khrunicheva has been developing the reusable rocket and space system MRKS-1 based on oxygen-methane engines.
2. RKTs im. V.P.Makeev developed a project for the rocket-space complex “Ricksha” using methane engines.
3. Volzhskoe design department RSC Energia is developing design documentation for the Air Launch launch vehicle and the launch vehicle unit using liquid methane as fuel.
4. The management of KBHA (V.S. Rachuk) declares that the enterprise is ready to move on to R&D on methane engines. Currently, work on methane engines is being carried out on MRKS-1 together with the Khrunichev center, together with France, work is being done on a demonstrator of stages of a reusable rocket and space system, and together with Italy, a methane engine is being developed for the 3rd stage of a modernized European rocket light class"Vega".
5. The management of Energomash (V.K. Chvanov) is ready to develop methane engines. This is the only enterprise in our country that can create methane engines with a thrust of 600 tons or more and where there is a production and experimental base for this.
6. KBKhM im. A.M.Isaeva specializes in the development of upper stages. The first test of a full-size KBKhM engine running on methane was carried out back in 1997 at NIIKHIMMASH. When testing the methane engine KBKhM S5.86 No. 2 with a thrust of 7.5 tons at the Scientific Research Center of RKP on July 28, 2011, a record duration of one-time activation of 2000 seconds was achieved. The possibility of restarting the engine and the absence of a solid phase in the fuel paths during prolonged starts at the most unfavorable ratios of components were demonstrated.

1. Compliance with environmental requirements usually requires additional costs. In our case, the use of an environmentally friendly oxygen-methane fuel pair leads to a reduction in the costs of manufacturing and operating rocket and space technology.
2. Replacing the Proton-M launch vehicle with a methane version removes all disagreements with Kazakhstan regarding the use of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Opens up opportunities for joint cooperation with Kazakhstan for many years to come, regardless of the creation of the Russian Vostochny cosmodrome.
3. Creation of a new manned complex of increased reliability for flights into orbit of the earth and planets of the solar system.
4. In the future (but before 2030), light and super-heavy class launch vehicles can be created. The first (in a 2-stage version) can be based on the oldest Russian training ground, Kapustin Yar. Super-heavy class launch vehicles will be launched from the Vostochny cosmodrome.
5. The use of methane will provide us with competitive ability in launching commercial payloads until methane is developed in other countries and reducing budget costs in the development and operation of launch vehicles under government programs.
6. With the transition to methane, the appearance of cosmodromes is changing. Gasification of industrial and residential premises of cosmodromes is taking place. Automobile and railway transport are being converted to gas. AT and UDMH components remain in limited quantities only for spacecraft and apogee propulsion systems. It is possible to limit the use of helium for pressurizing fuel tanks and replace it with nitrogen from local nitrogen-oxygen stations (NOS). Local methane, from mini-plants connected to main gas pipelines.
7. Broad prospects are opening up for attracting private capital. Not only large companies like Gazprom, Rosneftegaz and Lukoil, but also small and medium-sized businesses.

Raptor - cryogenic methane rocket engine, developed by the American company SpaceX. The engine is intended for installation on the lower and upper stages of future super-heavy launch vehicles used for interplanetary flights. The engine runs on liquid oxygen and liquefied methane (lox/methane). The Raptor's predecessors, the Merlin engines used in Falcon 9 rockets, ran on RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen. Early Raptor concepts used liquid hydrogen instead of methane.

The Raptor engine runs on liquid methane and liquid oxygen using effective scheme with a full-flow closed cycle with afterburning of pre-gasified oxidation and fuel components instead of the open cycle previously used on Merlin engines. The closed cycle was used on the Shuttle main engines (SSME) and in several Russian rocket engines (RD-180), but the full-flow closed cycle has until now remained an unattainable “grail” for the rocket and space industry, remaining the lot of test demonstrators almost half a century ago (RD- 270) or closed private developments with an unknown outcome.

Such a closed circuit with complete gasification of components, in addition to a general increase in the specific impulse of a liquid rocket engine (LPRE), also has a positive effect on its overall reliability, eliminating potential points of failure that occur in a liquid rocket engine with partial gasification of fuel components.

In August 2016, the Raptor engine, manufactured at SpaceX laboratories in Hawthorne, California, was transported to McGregor, Texas, where a successful test was conducted on September 25, 2016. bench tests Raptor.

There are also plans to develop a vacuum version of the Raptor with a specific impulse of 382 seconds, using a larger nozzle than the atmospheric version - to increase the degree of expansion of the burnt gases.

Raptor engine in the “Martian” presentation of SpaceX

SpaceX was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, who previously became famous as the creator of the Paypal payment system. In 2012, Elon Musk announced his intention to conquer Mars using methane in rockets with astronauts on board:

“We are switching to methane. Its cost as an energy carrier is minimal and it has slight advantage over kerosene in terms of specific impulse (Isp). And methane is not as much of a pain in the ass as hydrogen.”

Hydrogen has difficulties with its storage and transportation, and there is also the problem of hydrogen embrittlement. And if methane is used as fuel, then such engines can be operated on Mars, because methane can be obtained from the Martian atmosphere. Methane is also the best fuel for reusable engines because... it does not coke, does not form carbon deposits, then what is the sin of kerosene, although it is not main reason why Musk chose methane.

State Space Research and Production Center named after. Khrunicheva is already developing engines using a mixture of oxygen and methane for cryogenic flyback rockets, Musk said that he is not looking for ways to cooperate with Russian rocket scientists, despite their leadership in this technology, but noted that “we should hire a few of them.”

SpaceX launches JC SAT 16 satellite on Falcon rocket 9 in August 2016

Roscosmos announced that the industry financing program for the period until 2025 includes funds for the development of the latest rocket engine. It is reported that we are talking about an engine that can run efficiently on methane. Development work will start in the coming year, and in the coming year, project financing should amount to about 470 million rubles. In total, Roscosmos estimates the cost of developing a new rocket engine capable of traction on natural gas at 25.2 billion rubles.

As Roscosmos experts note, not all of this amount will go towards the development of a methane rocket engine (propulsion system for launch vehicles) as such. The program includes work on the creation of so-called bottom screens, cooling nozzles, prototypes of new generation liquid rocket engines with multi-stage protection systems.

The tests were successfully carried out on a special vacuum stand and confirmed the compliance of the engine parameters with the characteristics laid down in the technical specifications.

Work on the engine continues: a series of new fire tests are planned to build up its service life and check the stability of the confirmed characteristics during long-term operation.

Unlike liquid rocket engines (LPRE), which KBHA specialists have been developing for more than half a century, electric rocket engines last years became a new direction of work at the enterprise. Intended for use as part of spacecraft, they can help solve a wide range of problems: correction and stabilization of the working orbit of satellites, their launch from low to high orbits, as well as flights into deep space.