Maxbrain Capital pfp
Maxbrain Capital
@viybz
I know I'm late, but this is fascinating. And I had to relate it to car engines because I don't own a rocket. You can make reductions to complex mechanical systems. No part is the best part, am I right? But there's almost no way to reduce THAT many parts of the system..I mean look at R1 compared to R3. How? And what allowed them to reduce the total mass by +50% and increase thrust by 30%? ~Car Engine Simplified~ A metal block with combustion chambers (cylinder), pistons, connecting rods, and a crankshaft. Process = 1. Air + fuel mix in combustion chamber 2. A spark causes a small explosion 3. That explosion forces the piston down, turning the crankshaft 4. A spinning crankshaft becomes horsepower, spinning the wheels via a transmission (hence why cars have 2 HP ratings, wheel hp vs crank hp) Result = Mechanical power (HP) moves the car.
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Maxbrain Capital pfp
Maxbrain Capital
@viybz
~Raptor 3 Simplified~ No pistons, no crankshaft. It just has powerful pumps, a combustion chamber, and a nozzle. Process = 1. Pumps: Two high pressure pumps (one for methane fuel, one for liquid oxygen) force high amounts of fuel and oxidizer into the combustion chamber. 2. Combustion: Methane and LOX ignite, creating a controlled explosion. 3. Nozzle: Hot gases from the explosion blast out of the nozzle at high speeds, producing thrust. Result = Thrust (kiloNewtons or tons-force) moves the rocket. Same same, but different. Inside the car engines are channels that transport coolant, oil, and exhaust. SpaceX wanted to replicate this, but they would have to use a different technique since the design was too complex to be machined. So they 3-D printed it, with metal. 🤯 The updated internal design allows for a regenerative cooling effect. The liquid methane prevents the engine from melting at high temps, before powering it. In this case, methane acts as coolant and fuel. 🤯
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