"Russian engines will safely return rocket stages to Earth"
Russia is designing reusable rocket engines, which will make it possible to safely return the spent stages of ultra-light rockets to Earth. Pavel Chupin, General Designer of ODK-Kuznetsov, told Izvestia in an interview . He also reported on the creation of units for gas pumping and liquefaction, on green technologies in engine building and on the world's most powerful gas turbine locomotive. Read more about the new domestic propulsion systems in the Izvestia interview.
"These engine systems provide ample opportunities for reusability"
- Pavel Vladimirovich, your company is a flagship in the development of rocket engines. What developments are underway in this area?
Engine NK-33
- Our company performs a full cycle of development and production of rocket engines. In this sense, it is unique within Rostec. The entire domestic manned cosmonautics flies on engines manufactured by our enterprise. If we talk about the NK-33 engine, it is not only manufactured, but also developed at ODK-Kuznetsov.
Among the new projects, preliminary design of the first and second stage engines, which operate on the oxygen-kerosene pair, for the newest ultra-light launch vehicle is currently underway. They will have a thrust of 3 to 4 tons-force (tf) in various conditions. The reusable Russian engines are expected to safely return the rocket stages to Earth. This work is being carried out in the interests of a commercial customer.
- What features make the engines reusable?
- During each flight, the engines will be able to perform multiple activations, which is achieved through a technology where the fuel mixture is ignited using either reusable pyros or an electric ignition system. This distinguishes our development from traditional solutions that use single-action pyrotechnics.
The thrust vector will be controlled by electric actuators. They allow to change the position of the engine nozzle relative to the axis of the rocket and thus correct its trajectory. At the same time, the engine control system allows you to change the thrust in a wide range of signals from the control system of the launch vehicle. Together, all these rocket engine systems provide extensive maneuvering and reusability capabilities.
"The main competitive advantages are the fusion of rocket and aviation technologies"
- In what other areas are your developments in demand?
- Our enterprise is involved in a large number of projects. These are helicopter and airplane construction, power engineering. For example, now specialists of ODK-Kuznetsov are designing a new engine for a large-capacity helicopter. Another important area is the development of ground-based gas turbine engines for gas transportation and power generation in the oil and gas industry and power industry.
In particular, we have developed and started manufacturing a prototype of a 32 MW industrial unit. It is designed to be used as a drive for operation as part of gas transportation equipment in trunk pipelines and gas liquefaction.
Previously in our country the production of such engines was limited to 25 MW. In the future we are considering the possibility of increasing the unit capacity of produced engines up to 40-50 MW for import substitution of foreign equipment if our customers are interested. Imported units of this class, which are currently operated in our country, are gradually reaching the end of their service life and will soon require overhaul or complete replacement.
- Can you tell us about non-standard areas where your engines are used?
- A special pride of the Kuznetsov team is the ability to solve non-standard tasks. Some time ago, our specialists created a power unit for a gas turbine locomotive - a locomotive with a gas turbine propulsion system. The project realized the main competitive advantages of the enterprise - the fusion of rocket and aviation technologies.
The manufactured engine is designed to operate on cryogenic fuel (liquefied methane). In terms of power it significantly exceeds the known analogs. The gas turbine locomotive equipped with this unit holds the world record for the weight of a railroad train. An additional advantage of the gas turbo locomotive is its ability to transport freight on non-electrified railroad sections.
Layout of a gas turbine locomotive
Speaking about exotic directions, we can recall a request from a potential customer to create a rocket engine-based installation for spraying a special reagent to organize rainfall in arid areas of the country.
In 2013, ODK-Kuznetsov received an order to create a burner unit for the Olympic flame bowl of the XXII Winter Olympics in Sochi. The six-meter flame of the torch had to work at an altitude of 50 meters taking into account possible natural changes. Therefore, the torch was tested in a hurricane and heavy rain. A serial NK-12MA aircraft engine was used to simulate extreme weather.
The main, redundant and reserve branches of the basin supply were installed inside the gas pipeline. In general, the developers had to go significantly beyond the usual and explore many related areas.
"Specialists are developing promising combustion chambers for green gas turbine engines"
- The world is actively introducing environmentally friendly technologies. How are these trends reflected in the work of the enterprise?
- Back in the late 1980s, the company developed aircraft engines that used liquefied natural gas and hydrogen as fuel. These components make it possible to minimize (in the case of LNG) or nullify (for hydrogen) the so-called carbon footprint. These projects were ahead of their time, but today we are revisiting this topic.
For example, as part of one of the research works, we designed a combustion chamber for a gas turbine engine, in which combustion of a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen made it possible to reduce harmful carbon oxide emissions several times compared to the use of only natural gas as fuel.
Now specialists are engaged in the development of promising combustion chambers for green gas turbine engines, primarily for ground application. It is assumed that at the first stage they will be adapted to operate on a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen, and in the future - on pure hydrogen.
- Where does the creation of a new engine usually begin?
- The creation of a new-generation engine starts with the development of promising, "critical" technologies that will later be used in the design. This includes the creation of new materials with improved physical and mechanical characteristics, design, manufacturing and testing technologies. The work implies close cooperation with industry and university science, as well as research and development work.
If the created technologies have confirmed a high level of readiness, they are used in the design of a new product. The result of development work is an engine sample that has passed a full range of tests and confirmed all the requirements placed on it.
- Does the shortage of personnel affect the work of the industry?
- Today, all industrial enterprises are facing a staff shortage. It is difficult to find highly qualified designers, technologists and workers. Rostec provides great support. The State Corporation opens engineering classes in schools, develops targeted training at universities and colleges, and trains multi-specialists at production and training centers.
Our company implements internal training and retraining programs for specialists. Starting from the first year of training future designers and technologists are employed at ODK-Kuznetsov and, while getting a second profession, they spend one day a week at the enterprise and are involved in the work process.
As an industrial partner, we support supporting universities. For example, Samara State University.
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