Use of Cooling Properties of Methane for Increase of Power of Liquid Propellant Engines with Afterburning of Reducing Gas

Results of study of cooling the chambers of liquid propellant engines (with thrust from 0.02 to 2 MN, constructed by the Scientific and Production Association "Energomash") with methane, water and ammonia are presented. It is shown that reliable cooling can be provided with the reduced consumption of a coolant if the cooling elements are at experimentally proved temperatures set by criteria. This allows the hydro-resistance of the cooling paths to be essentially decreased and the saved power of a fuel pump to be used for increasing the chamber pressure up to a level, achieved in the oxidizer scheme and much higher. As a result the engine specific impulse can be increased, loads (pressure) for units can be reduced, which contributes to prolongation of their lives and to reusability of the engine. Parameters of various scheme engines are compared including the liquid propellant engine "RD-191" which is undergoing tests in the Scientific and Production Association "Energomash" and is considered a basic engine in the development of a reusable liquid propellant engine.