Most things in this world can be solved with money, and the same is true in the field of scientific research.
Since the sales dividends from Factory 703 were received, the progress of the entire research institute has been soaring like a rocket taking off.
Various experimental equipment and materials are being consumed day and night as if they are free of charge.
In less than a month, almost half of the more than 30 million US dollars allocated was spent.
Of course, these expenses are worth it. Zhang Xingyang originally predicted that it would take three or four months before substantial progress could be made in the core system.
In just over twenty days, the research and development of the turbopump, which is the core of the engine, was completed.
The turbopump plays the role of the heart in the engine system. It needs to transport more than 400 kilograms of propellant fuel at high pressure within 1 second.
As a high-speed rotating component in the liquid rocket engine, the turbopump is also the only high-speed rotating machine among the important components of the engine.
If we think of a turbine pump as a water pump, its working pressure can pump water from sea level to an altitude of five thousand meters.
That is to say, it can reach the height of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau!
With gas discharge speeds of up to several kilometers per second, turbine pumps need to face harsh working conditions such as strong vibration, noise and high pressure.
This requires that its structural strength needs to be very strong, so Inconel high-temperature alloy is used.
Of course, this is why Zhang Xingyang took action and came up with a new high-temperature alloy production formula. Otherwise, it would take at least four or five years to study this material issue alone.
After completing the development of the turbine pump, in order to test the performance of the fuel pump.
In order to test its working condition, experiments need to be conducted in conjunction with the gas generator.
In the experiment, the gas generator first started working to produce high-pressure gas to drive the turbine, and the turbine drove two pumps to pressurize the liquid oxygen and kerosene flowing down from the storage tank.
After supercharging, most of the liquid oxygen and kerosene enter the combustion chamber, and a small part enters the gas generator, so that the gas generator regains high-pressure gas and continues to drive the turbine.
This cycle repeats, and most of the gas is not wasted.
"Xingyang, do you think this experiment will be successful?"
Geng Bo, who is mainly responsible for turbine design, was very nervous before the experiment started.
After all, this experiment involves not only the hard work of hundreds of people at the institute over a long period of time, but also the amount of experimental funds spent here is frighteningly high.
Take this experiment as an example. Not counting the equipment problems during the experiment, the liquid oxygen kerosene consumed alone was a large sum of money.
For this experiment, more than four hundred tons of fuel and oxidizer were prepared. According to the current latest price, the total price is close to two million.
Coupled with other losses, this experiment will cost three to four million.
If the experiment is successful, everything will be fine.
if it fails.
Geng Bo didn't dare to think about such consequences.
Zhang Xingyang patted Geng Bo on the shoulder and said easily:
"Don't worry too much, don't worry too much if something goes wrong. It's better if the problem occurs on the ground experimental platform than at the launch site.
Moreover, according to our system of zeroing out technology, there will probably be no problems in production this time. "
Geng Bo was comforted by Zhang Xingyang, and he relaxed a little. He was no longer so nervous. At least his two legs, which had been shaking all the time, calmed down.
At this time, the experimental control center has not yet used the large panoramic monitoring screen.
Zhang Xingyang could only stand with Geng Bo behind the bulletproof glass behind the test bench to observe.
Of course, there are people connected to more important monitoring instrument panels on standby, ready to record various parameters during the operation of the gas generator-turbine pump.
“Countdown!“
"Ten, nine, eight...three,"
"two!"
"one!"
"ignition!"
"boom!!"
Hundreds of kilograms of fuel are instantly ignited and turned into high-pressure gas, which is then sprayed out.
Like a blue-white sharp sword, it shot out a distance of more than ten meters!
Zhang Xingyang stood behind the bulletproof glass and could still feel its vigorous power.
The entire experimental center was filled with the sounds of various parameters being recorded.
"The experiment is considered a success, now we just have to see how long it can work!"
Zhang Xingyang shouted loudly in Geng Bo's ear. The sound of the experiment outside was too loud, and the only way to communicate in the room was by shouting.
Geng Bo glanced at Zhang Xingyang, smiled happily, and said nothing.
At this time, the originally hanging heart was finally let go.
The minimum requirement for this experiment is that the gas generator and turbine pump can work normally.
As for how long it can work, there are actually not many requirements. Even if it can only work for one second, it can prove that this road can be passed.
The next thing to do is to increase the service life of each component and try to increase its working time to the extent that it can complete the entire task.
Time passed quickly, one hundred seconds passed quickly.
Zhang Xingyang issued an order to suspend the experiment before the parts persisted to the point of being scrapped.
The engineers and scientific researchers who had been waiting for a long time immediately interrupted the pipelines for liquid oxygen and kerosene, and rushed to the test bed carrying various cooling equipment.
After the temperature of the test bed cooled down, engineers quickly began to disassemble the turbine pump.
The two pump bodies will be quickly brought back to the testing center in the institute for metal damage analysis.
See how damaged the metal is.
Then we will conduct 200-second and 500-second experiments respectively.
In fact, when the rocket is launched, as the first-stage engine, its working time is less than 200 seconds, about 186 seconds.
The fire that was enough to blind the eyes burst out again, but this time everyone felt much calmer.
After all, with the successful experience of the previous experiment, everyone still has great confidence in this experiment.
The second two-hundred-second experiment still went smoothly without any unexpected situations.
In the entire test bed control center, everyone was full of confidence and began to place bets on whether they could successfully survive the 500-second experiment.
"Xingyang, do you think it can be done?" Geng Bo asked jokingly, "Let's talk about it first. I'll bet a hundred dollars that it can be done!"
Although Zhang Xingyang has strong confidence in this turbine pump, it is still in his estimation.
Four hundred seconds is probably its ultimate working time. Beyond this time, even high-temperature alloys with the metal "rhenium" added still cannot withstand it.
Glancing at the confident Geng Bo, Zhang Xingyang smiled and said:
"I bet it can only last four hundred seconds, I bet a thousand dollars!"
