Rotating Cavitation Supression

Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)

Description

FTT proposes development of a rotating cavitation (RC) suppressor for liquid rocket engine turbopump inducers. Cavitation instabilities, such as rotating cavitation, have caused severe damage to bearings and seals, fatigue failures, and even catastrophic failures of rocket engines. In addition, cavitation instabilities hamper suction performance, which prevents developments related to increasing payload by reducing overall vehicle weight with thinner propellant tank walls. An RC suppressor will allow for increased suction performance and for improved turbopump reliability by reducing loads on the rotor support system. This technology has applications for any rocket engine turbopump or commercial pump. FTT's approach will mature the conceptual design for the Slotted Annular Cavitation Suppressor (SACS), compare results of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) of a baseline inducer with and without the SACS, create a test plan, and generate a conceptual design of a test article to test the SACS. Phase I will advance this technology from TRL 2 to TRL 3. Phase II will culminate with water testing of the RC suppressor and data reduction, and will advance it to TRL 5.

Benefits

This technology will apply to any high performance rocket engine turbopump to increase suction performance. NASA can apply the technology to any future or existing turbopumps.

The technology can also be applied to commercial pumps where improved cavitation margin is desired.

Details

Technology area	Propulsion Systems > Chemical Space Propulsion > Cryogenic Propulsion
Program	Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer (SBIR/STTR)
Lead organization	Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc., Jupiter, FL
Start date	2012-02-23
End date	2012-08-23

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

Kristopher Mcdougal — Kristopher.Mcdougal@nasa.gov
Frank Huber

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.