Structural Dynamics Applied to Rocket Engine Turbopumps

The application of structural dynamics to turbopumps is one of the most rewarding aspects of the discipline because the essential dynamic characteristics (natural frequency, modes, and resonance) are not only important for further analysis, but critical in of themselves. In particular, direct resonance is the primary failure mode for turbopump flow-path structures. Additional aspects that make the topic fascinating are the close interaction with the turbopump fluid dynamics, both in the gas turbine and the liquid pump, which introduce the criticality of orthogonality between excitation and mode shape, and the cyclic nature of the structures.