This is interesting. I can see a lot of benefits to rocket-engine design from these kinds of improvements as well, particularly for staged combustion. I wonder if Blue Origin is aware of this kind of thing? Also, it doesn’t say anything about improved performance and reduced cost and parts count from 3-D printing, but I think that will be significant as well.
2 thoughts on “The Future Of Turbochargers”
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Adjustable turbine IGVs and intercooling between compressor stages might be new to turbochargers, but other turbomachinery have been doing it for a long time. Interesting to see another traditionally turbine-driven machine taking advantage of advances in small electric motors, though as far as rockets go, I suspect Blue’s engines are *way* too big to be electrically pumped.
It might be possible for electrical motors and generators to be downsized dramatically if there is a large supply of once-through coolant available, as could be the case in a rocket motor.