SCE-200 Semi-cryogenic Engine - News, Updates and Reports

[Vamsi]

Details ....

Tests commenced on Semicryogenic engine at IPRC, Mahendragiri

This was not a hot fire .. It was basically a validation of the operation of the gas generator. This artice does not claim to be a cold fire even .. Perhaps that is just a difference in language .. But this is significant .. We may finally see a hot fire this year.

The engine which was tested yesterday is called Power Head Test Article.....it doesn't have combustion chamber & nozzle....but the next engine will be a fully integrated one ....it will be called IE-1, it will be followed by IE-2, IE-3(will be tested with SC-120 stage) & IE-4(flight engine) , hope we get first launch by 2026

 

[Vamsi]

 

[Vamsi]

The newly established test facility at IPRC, Mahendragiri, with a state-of-art PLC-based control system and data acquisition system, is capable of testing semi-cryogenic engines up to 2600 kN thrust


What the f**k is this?? It seems they haven't learned a single lesson from VIKAS engine development programme, they can't test clustered engines in the current test stand, they have to build a new test stand again

 

[Vamsi]

From ISRO subreddit r/ISRO


Vivekjoshua2303-

The main issue is with the thrust chamber, industries are facing a lot of challenges to fabricate this. Some of the fabrication issues are channel milling and vacuum brazing.


Vivekjoshua2303

Imagine brazing a <5cm thickness & more than 300cm (at the bottom) diameter copper super alloy nozzle wall with channel milling grooves ranging thickness from <2cm to 4cm with a thermal conductivity to a Steel super alloy wall with similar thickness with a completely different thermal conductivity.



Ohsin

How much of CE20 thrust chamber manufacturing experience comes into it?


Vivekjoshua2303

CE-7.5 and CE-20 thrust chamber channel milling experience helped them to complete 2 of the 3 sections of the thrust chamber. The issues are with the last bottom part of the thrust chamber. We need a proper fixture and an SPM with 6- axis control panel to complete the task.

 

[Vamsi]

Vacuum Brazing for semi cryo engine

A new Brazing process for Semi-Cryo Engine established by ISRO - ISRO

Manufacture of thrust chamber and pre-burner of Semi-Cryo engine requires joining of two shells by vacuum brazing. The inner shell is made of a copper alloy, whereas the outer shell is made of stainless steel. The inner shell has ribs on its outer surface which need to be joined to the inner...

web.archive.org

 

[TopWatcher]

The newly established test facility at IPRC, Mahendragiri, with a state-of-art PLC-based control system and data acquisition system, is capable of testing semi-cryogenic engines up to 2600 kN thrust


What the f**k is this?? It seems they haven't learned a single lesson from VIKAS engine development programme, they can't test clustered engines in the current test stand, they have to build a new test stand again

What you means to day ? Means they can test this in vikas engine test stand.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Tests commenced on Semicryogenic engine at IPRC, Mahendragiri

Today, ISRO carried out the first integrated test on an intermediate configuration of the 2000kN Semicryogenic Engine at the newly commissioned Semicryogenic Integrated Engine & Stage Test facility at the ISRO Propulsion Complex(IPRC), Mahendragiri. The intermediate configuration, designated as Power Head Test Article (PHTA), comprises all the engine systems except the thrust chamber. The test is the first of a series of tests planned to validate the design of the propellant feed system, including the low-pressure and high-pressure turbo-pumps, the gas generator, and control components.

The Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) of ISRO has undertaken the design &development of a Semicryogenic engine with 2000 kN thrust with Indian industry participation, and will power the booster stages of future launch vehicles and works on Liquid Oxygen (LOX)-Kerosene propellant combination. The test on May 10, 2023, is a major milestone beforeintegrating the complete engine and its qualification. This test demonstrated the complex chill-down operations spanning about 15 hours duration that was conducted successfully, meeting all the required conditions for engine start.After the chill down of the LOX circuit, the feed circuit of kerosene was filled, and LOX was admitted into the gas generator by opening the injection valve. Successful performance of the test article helps derive the sequence of operations for further tests.

The newly established test facility at IPRC, Mahendragiri, with a state-of-art PLC-based control system and data acquisition system, is capable of testing semi-cryogenic engines up to 2600 kN thrust and will support the subsequent testing and qualification of the fully integrated Semicryogenic engine and stage.This test has demonstrated the successful performance of the test facility and power head test article in the first attempt itself.

Power Head Test Article test at Semicryo Test Stand

Power Head Test Article

Semicryo Test Stand (panoramic view)

 

[Raj Malhotra]

Vacuum Brazing for semi cryo engine

A new Brazing process for Semi-Cryo Engine established by ISRO - ISRO

Manufacture of thrust chamber and pre-burner of Semi-Cryo engine requires joining of two shells by vacuum brazing. The inner shell is made of a copper alloy, whereas the outer shell is made of stainless steel. The inner shell has ribs on its outer surface which need to be joined to the inner...

web.archive.org

oldies Will remember problem of Red Devil and then Prithvi missile Engine was similar

 

[standard snowball]

Why are we making this engine, what benifits does SCE 200 provide over the metholox engine.
It's neither reusable nor cheaper.
Not to mention that The time gap between SCE 200 and the metholox engine coming online is not too much.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Why are we making this engine, what benifits does SCE 200 provide over the metholox engine.
It's neither reusable nor cheaper.
Not to mention that The time gap between SCE 200 and the metholox engine coming online is not too much.

Higher thrust to volume ratio for deep space missions and HLVs. Methalox is meant for RLVs.

 

[standard snowball]

Higher thrust to volume ratio for deep space missions and HLVs. Methalox is meant for RLVs.

One more question can we make this engine reusable in future by any chance.

 

[AnantS]

One more question can we make this engine reusable in future by any chance.

RLV means reusable launch vehicle

 

[AnantS]

I am talking about the engine not the whole vehicle, yes I know RLV would be reusable but the engine (SCE 200) won't be

I thought you were referring to whether methalox shall be reusable. I am not sure but any engines which are throttleable and have have vectored thrust can be tinkered for RLV with modifications.

Case in point the ADMIRE test vehicle shall be using modified Vikas engine.

 

[Vamsi]

Higher thrust to volume ratio for deep space missions and HLVs. Methalox is meant for RLVs.

NGLV with three LM400 core boosters can easily lift 70 tons to LEO just like Falcon Heavy.....I don't see any future applications for SCE-200(other than LVM3-SC), if GoI approves full scale development of 980KN thrust methalox engine

 

[Vamsi]

One more question can we make this engine reusable in future by any chance.

I don't think SCE-200 can be reusable, its throttle range is 60% to 110%, for landing it needs 40% throttling atleast, this is also reason why russians & chinese are also developing methalox engines instead of improving the throttle range of their RD-120 family semicryo engines, (all Russian, Ukranian, Chinese & Indian semi-cryo engines belong to same RD-120 family)

 

[standard snowball]

I don't think SCE-200 can be reusable, its throttle range is 60% to 110%, for landing it needs 40% throttling atleast, this is also reason why russians & chinese are also developing methalox engines instead of improving the throttle range of their RD-120 family semicryo engines, (all Russian, Ukranian, Chinese & Indian semi-cryo engines belong to same RD-120 family)

If that is the case then why are we even spending money on a kerlox engine when everyone else is ditching their kerlox engine in favour of methlox engine

 

[Vamsi]

If that is the case then why are we even spending money on a kerlox engine when everyone else is ditching their kerlox engine in favour of methlox engine

SCE-200 project started in 2005, not today, at that time there were no methalox engines , hence they chose keralox.... it took this much time because, ISRO had to redo everything from scratch for this engine,Ukranians gave us only the drawings, not the "know-how" & "know-why" of manufacturing & materials....

 

[standard snowball]

SCE-200 project started in 2005, not today, at that time there were no methalox engines , hence they chose keralox...

Ok that makes sense,
But now what, do we even have a use for SCE 200 now that the whole world is shifting towards a metholox engine.
Seems like we would replace SCE 200 in just 5-10 years

 

[Vamsi]

Ok that makes sense,
But now what, do we even have a use for SCE 200 now that the whole world is shifting towards a metholox engine.
Seems like we would replace SCE 200 in just 5-10 years

only time will tell, if GoI approves 100ton methalox engine , then I don't see applications for SCE-200 even for a Saturn V category LV

 

[standard snowball]

only time will tell, if GoI approves 100ton methalox engine , then I don't see applications for SCE-200 even for a Saturn V category LV

Seems like the development cycle was way too slow, we spent nearly 2 decade working on an engine that we now don't have a viable use case for