The “09” GIRD Engine.
The “09” Engine has been designed for “09” Experimental GIRD Rocket by the
Second Division of the GIRD (the Division and project was managed by Michael
Tikhonravov). The hybrid scheme for the first Soviet liquid rocket was selected being more
safe and easy in comparison to a pure liquid motor scheme. It allows for reducing the rocket
mass and simplifying the fuel/oxidizer delivery system (by means oxidizer input only).
Solid (gelled) gasoline (the product of galipot solution in gasoline) was proposed as a fuel
and Lox as an oxidizer. The design "09" differed installation of firm fuel directly in the
chamber of combustion while the liquid oxidizer was located in the external tank.
The combustion chamber of the “09” hybrid was fabricated and tested in several different
versions. The first “fire test model” of the “09” engine has been terminated the 31
December of 1932. A fire test of the “09” began in April of 1933.
The combustion chamber of this rocket motor consisted of a splash plate injector, the
cylindrical form housing with the “grid” and a nozzle. The injector has numerous small
diameter orifices, through which Lox is delivered into the chamber. The cylinder with big
orifices (the “grid”) is located inside the combustion chamber. Its diameter is smaller than
the chamber diameter. The gelled gasoline has been downloaded into a volume, formed
between the combustion chamber wall and housing, before launch. The interchange process
in a gasoline fuel and oxidizer, an exhaust the combustion species toward a nozzle, there is
occured through the “grid” orifices. The chamber has not outside cooling. For wall-heating
protection used an asbesta liner and own fuel which has radial regression rate, or toward of
the “grid” to a chamber wall. Nozzles had been assembled into a cylindrical part of
chamber, without of the external affluent cooling. On the Fig.1 depict the “09” GIRD
Hybrid Engine general view.
Fig. 1
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“09” GIRD Hybrid Engine Main Technical Data:
- Thrust: 25 – 33 kgs (kg*s or 240 – 320 N*s);
- Lox delivery pressure: 13.5 Atm (196 psi);
- Chamber pressure: 5 –7 Atm (90 psi);
- Chamber length: 320.5 mm;
- Engine external diameter (max): 145 mm;
- Nozzle throat: 26 mm.
Mechanical tests of main engine units were carried out before fire tests. The Second
GIRD Division carries out the chamber strength tests under static strain and hydraulic
shock technics in the May of 1933. During the April – May of 1933 were tested oxygen
valve, reductor valve and other engine units. In the April of 1933 worked about ignition
system selection. Started with a pyrotecnic device. Ignitor grain consisted of a gun powder,
charcoal and a ballast component. After tests, which demonstrated insufficient reliability of
this device was taken a solution to stop on the electrical spark ignition system, delivered
from magneto (spark generator).
The “09” Engine fire test has been carried out under direction of S. Korolev and
M.Tikhonravov. N. Efremov, B. Zuev, Yu. Pobedonostsev, Z. Kruglova and other 2
Division coworkers are participated. The combustion chamber was fabricated from carbon
steel on the first design stage and later from copper. Seven fire tests carried out in the July
of 1933 has demonstrated that the chamber insulated with asbestos is an unfortunate choice
for required burn time. The chamber fabricated from ENERZH (stainless) steel has been
tested too. And finally the combustion chamber was made from bronze. The nozzle
inicially fabricated from a carbon steel, was fabricated from a stainless steel later. Were
tested chambers with various “grid” types: with ribs for mechanical support of gelled
benzen and sustenance of the combustion uniformity and without its. Also were tested the
different “grid” materials: celluloid, carbon steel, aluminum alloy, stainless steel. Tested
chambers were equiped with different types of injectors, which had been chosen for spray
guiding, material and orifices quantity. Everyone orifices quantity had corresponded a
different delivery thrust. Some fire tests terminated with explosion as e.g. the 28 of April
1933 test.
The oxygen tank pressure maintained by means the oxygen gaseous part evaporated in
result of a heat-exchanging with an ambient medium. And need pressure reached by means
the safety valve. The stable and uniform pressure has a big problem brought out during of
the fire tests. This problem produced numerous alterations in design of the oxygen valve,
safiety valve and others blocks of the “09” GIRD engine. The “09”engine in the flight
model grade has been tested upon the half of August of 1933.
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The “09” GIRD Rocket.
The first experimental rocket with the “09” hybrid fuel engine was developed in the 2
Division of GIRD ander direction of M.Tikhonravov. Since the August of 1933 carried out
the ground tests of the “09” GIRD rocket with a few negative attempts to launch it. The
first effective launch and flight of the first in the world Hybrid Rocket was ocurried on the
17 August of 1933 ander direction of Sergey Korolev. This date was including later in
Cosmonautics History as a launch day of the first Soviet liquid propulsed rocket. On the
Fig.2 depict the “09” GIRD Hybrid Rocket general view.
Fig. 2
“09” GIRD Hybrid Rocket Main Technical Data:
-
Length: 2.4 m;
Diameter: 0.18 m;
Rocket liftoff weight: 19 kg.
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The “09” GIRD Rocket main parts was made from aluminum alloy. The rocket has
fore fins on the lower fuselage segment. The Lox tank, maded from aluminum tubing,
placed into the upper fuselage segment. The annular gap between the tank wall and rocket
body played the termoinsulator role. The initiating valve, equiped with a handle for it
manual switching, was arranged between the oxygen tank and “09” engine combustion
chamber. The parachute deployment system has been placed into nose cone.
The rocket launch on the 17 August of 1933 was ocurred as follows: the “09” GIRD
rocket after assembling on the launch pad in the vertical position filled with Lox. The inside
pressure of the oxidizer tank rose by means of Lox part gasification in result of the heat
exchanging with an ambient medium. The oxygen valve opened manually after
achievement of the necessary pressure in a tank. Simultaneously has been switched a
electrical current from magnetо on a spark plug, igniting a fuel and the engine started to
work.The rocket has lifted out from the launch rail directing upwards and has reached
height of 400 meters. The flight time from the take off to landing was 18 s.
During the second launch in the autumn of 1933 the “09” engine has blown up after rocket
reaching the hight about 100 m. In the 1934 the “09” GIRD rocket already fabricated in the
RNI ( The Rocketry Science Institute) with small updatings in quantity of several copies
performed few successful flights. The biggest hight reached of the “09” GIRD Hybrid
Rocket has 1500 m.
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