3D Printing Turbines for Re-Usable Rocket Engines

(Image courtesy of GKN Aerospace.)

GKN Aerospace will develop and manufacture two full scale turbines for the Prometheus, an ESA-funded program for low-cost re-usable rocket engines based on liquid oxygen and methane propellants. The turbines will generate power for the methane fuel system, with the first turbine to be delivered at the end of 2019. Manufacturing will take place in cooperation with partners and at GKN Aerospace’s Engine Systems Centre of Excellence in Trollhättan, Sweden.

The new turbine will face challenging loads, including very high pressure, high speed and high temperatures, which is why this is a critical step for additive manufacturing: the use of this technology for future higher loaded critical components in terms of pressure, temperature and rotational speed.

Sébastien Aknouche Vice President and General Manager, Services and Special Products Engine Systems said: “With the support of the Swedish National Space Agency, ESA and ArianeGroup we are proud to participate in the Prometheus project and to make a technological contribution to this key European space project. We look forward to demonstrating the benefits and the added value in weight and cost reduction, and in faster production rates.”

GKN Aerospace’s space business unit, in Trollhättan, Sweden, has been active in the Ariane programme from its inception in 1974 until the current Ariane 6 partnership, and has made over 1,000 combustion chambers and nozzles as well as over 250 turbines for the Ariane rocket to date.

For more information on metal 3D printing, check out Integrating Metal Additive Manufacturing – 10 Questions to Ask.