Tips For Building Rocket Engines With Micro Drive Gearmotors And Other Parts

With budget cuts in government spending, a growing number of private companies are involved in space exploration

. Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), a company which manufactures the Falcon 9 and other launch vehicles, prefers to use off-the-shelf components in their assemblies whenever possible to keep costs low. As an example, they use stock servo motors to control fuel flow and optimize engine function. However, in order for optimal performance, it is important that the motors and parts selected for building rocket engines are both fuel efficient and extremely durable against extreme conditions.

Consider Fuel Efficiency

The Falcon 9 engines use a fuel called RP-1 which is mixed with liquid oxygen for optimal combustion. However fueling a rocket isn't like fueling other vehicles. Every pound of weight reduces efficiency, and it is important that the fuel and oxygen burn at a rate such that they both run out at the same time. If either component is left over, it is dead weight which reduces the rocket's range. Each of the Falcon 9's ten engines uses micro drive gearmotors to control fuel flow, constantly adjusting to changing conditions in the combustion chamber and surrounding environment. This guarantees not only ideal combustion conditions, but also reduces the amount of unburned fuel or oxygen left in the tanks when the engine burns are complete.

The Importance Of Vibration And Shock Protection

Most micro drive gearmotors can't handle the brutal conditions rocket components must endure. At launch the Falcon 9's engines produce 100,000 pounds of thrust and the vibrations would shake most components to pieces. These tiny servo motors can't tolerate even a microscopic amount of damage without compromising their function so they must be tough enough to survive a three-minute launch burn plus as much as a seven-minute follow up burn. The motors make small adjustments to the flow of fuel and oxygen during this time and must not only be able to make the adjustments precisely, but must also adjust if they are moved out of position by the huge forces they experience. Only a select few servo motors are able to perform accurately under such intense conditions.

Performance In Severe Temperatures

Micro drive gearmotors are mounted right next to the rocket engines and are subject to extremes of temperature. However, it might be surprising to learn that cold, not heat, is the real problem. Although the rocket engines put out a great deal of heat, the mass of the engines and the short duration of the burns means the components don't heat up very much during launch. However, once the launch vehicle enters the bitter cold of space, components can be compromised by the sudden temperature drop. Luckily, micro drive gearmotors can survive the sub-zero temperatures and operate just as efficiently as they do on the ground. If a valve freezes in space, an expensive piece of equipment could be lost.

Micro drive gearmotors that can survive the rigors of a rocket launch and the severe conditions of outer space aren't likely to fail under even the most extreme conditions they will experience on Earth.

Tips For Building Rocket Engines With Micro Drive Gearmotors And Other Parts

By: articlescharmen

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