// PROPULSION SYSTEMS AND ENGINE TECHNOLOGY TERM
Preburner
A preburner is a small combustion chamber within a rocket engine that partially burns propellant to create hot, high-pressure gas. This gas then powers the turbopumps, which feed more propellant into the main engine.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
A preburner, an integral component of staged combustion cycle rocket engines, functions as a secondary combustion chamber generating hot, high-pressure gas, typically fuel-rich or oxidizer-rich, to drive the turbopumps before its exhaust is injected into the main combustion chamber for primary thrust.
BACKGROUND
The staged combustion cycle is a power cycle of a bipropellant rocket engine. In the staged combustion cycle, propellant flows through multiple combustion chambers, and is thus combusted in stages. The main advantage relative to other rocket engine power cycles is high fuel efficiency, measured through specific impulse, while its main disadvantage is engineering complexity.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Staged combustor
- Turbopump gas generator
- Pre-combustion chamber
- Partial combustor
USAGE NOTE
Preburners are essential in high-performance rocket engines, such as those employing staged combustion cycles, to efficiently power turbopumps and achieve high specific impulse.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Preburner.
SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. Their Raptor engine, used on Starship, utilizes a full-flow staged combustion cycle which relies heavily on preburner technology for its high-performance operation.
Blue Origin develops a variety of rocket engines, including the BE-4 (oxygen-rich staged combustion) and BE-3U (hydrocarbon-fueled staged combustion) engines, both of which incorporate preburners as a critical component of their design.
Aerojet Rocketdyne is a leading designer and manufacturer of rocket engines. Their heritage includes the RS-25 (Space Shuttle Main Engine), a high-performance staged combustion engine, and they continue to research and develop advanced propulsion systems that may utilize preburners.
A major Russian rocket engine designer, NPO Energomash is renowned for its family of powerful oxygen-rich staged combustion engines, such as the RD-170, RD-180, and RD-191, all of which heavily feature preburner technology.
Rocket Lab is developing the Archimedes engine for its Neutron rocket, which is designed as a staged combustion engine. This advanced design will incorporate preburners to achieve the required high thrust and efficiency.
Relativity Space is developing the Aeon R engine, a full-flow staged combustion engine intended for its Terran R launch vehicle. This engine design relies on sophisticated preburner systems to achieve its performance goals.
Various institutes under CASC develop rocket engines for China's Long March launch vehicles. Notable examples include the YF-100 and YF-115, which are oxygen-rich staged combustion engines incorporating preburner technology.
NASA's various centers, such as the Marshall Space Flight Center and Glenn Research Center, conduct extensive research and development in advanced aerospace propulsion, including fundamental and applied research on components and cycles for staged combustion engines that utilize preburners.