Design and Testing of “Marlin”, a 5,000 lbf Open-Cycle Kerosene-Oxygen Turbopump Rocket Engine

High level overview of undergraduate design and testing of a 5,000 lbf open-cycle kerosene-oxygen turbopump and rocket engine. Single shaft, turbine driven, subcritical turbopump arrangement paired with an impinging jet, heatsink cooled, thrust chamber assembly. A minimum viable product approach is taken in order to prioritize timelines and budgeting. Subcomponent design and system requirements are inspired by FASTRAC and Merlin engines. Commercial tools such as CFTurbo, ROSS, and ANSYS were utilized for both pump and rotordynamic design and simulation. All testing and simulations are done in order to validate design geometry and to reach targeted performance values. Additive and subtractive manufacturing plans are further discussed throughout the paper. Testing campaigns and appropriate test infrastructure are additionally outlined and spoken about in detail.