Coffman engine starter

Re:Coffman engine starter by mikejb on Sunday November 04, 2018 @02:19AM (#18374696)

Fun fact: A not entirely equivalent, but comparable starter was used on the Titan II ICBMs and Gemini launchers, specifically the LR87-5 and LR87-7 rocket engines (which used a hypergolic fuel&oxidizer combination)

A simple (read: I don't understand it better yet) explanation is this: A starter cartridge was placed in the turbopumps of the engine, that ignited and spun up the turbopumps (technically, the turbine of the TPA which then turns the pumps), which then fed fuel and oxidizer into a) the gas generator to sustain operation, and b) into the combustion chambers. The cartridges burned for about a second, and you can hear the screeching sound they made in this launch video [1]

[1] https://youtu.be/E87deQMLHoQ?t=185

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Re:Coffman engine starter by slededit on Sunday November 04, 2018 @04:30PM (#18378162)

Cartridge starters are common on Jet engines too for cases where you need to get them started ASAP (i.e. military).

Fun fact: most airplanes have a smaller turbine used to start their larger ones. The ones that don't use a mobile turbine cart for the same purpose. It takes a lot of energy to get them started.

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