TEPREL

TEPREL is a family of rocket engines designed and built by Spanish company PLD Space. It uses liquid propellant rocket engine technology to be used on their launchers Miura 1 and Miura 5. The TEPREL engine, called after the Spanish reusable engine program that is financing its development, uses kerosene and liquid oxygen as propellants.[3] So far, several versions of this engine, intended to propel Miura 1, have been developed and tested on the company's own liquid propulsion test facilities located in Teruel, Spain.

TEPREL-1B
First TEPREL-DEMO motor created by PLD Space
Country of origin Spain
DesignerPLD Space
ManufacturerPLD Space
PredecessorTEPREL-DEMO
StatusOperational
Liquid-fuel engine
Propellantliquid oxygen / kerosene
CyclePressure-fed engine
Performance
Thrust32 kN [1][2]
Burn time122 seconds
Used in
Miura 1

Revisions

In the first versions of the engine the propellants are driven to the engine by using a pressure-fed cycle with Helium.[4] Later versions of the engine (TEPREL-C) incorporate a turbopump.[5]

TEPREL-DEMO

The TEPREL-DEMO engine was first tested in 2015. It is a calorimetric engine model, intended to demonstrate combustion stability as well as to acquire relevant information such as ignition and shut-down sequences, pressures and temperatures along the engine, thrust and propellant mass flow rates at different thrust profiles. Additionally, the engine served to test all associated hardware and software at PLD Space Propulsion Test Facilities. The engine is capable to produce a thrust of 28 kN at sea level.[2][1]

TEPREL-A

With the TEPREL-A engine, first tested in 2017, the company included several design upgrades, such as an improved injector geometry and a regenerative cooling system. The later enables the engine to fire for nearly 2 minutes, which is the envisaged nominal functioning duration for the suborbital launch vehicle Miura 1. At sea level, the engine produces a thrust of 32 kN.[1][2]

TEPREL-B

TEPREL-B or TEPREL-1B is the first flight version of the TEPREL engine. Several design improvements have been implemented to reduce the overall weight of the engine. It is equipped with a thrust-vector-control system.In May 2019 the first unit of this model was destroyed during a test. After a long investigation PLD Space concluded that the problem was due to excess pressure during engine start at ignition. PLD Space addressed the issue through a combination of improvements to the launch site infrastructure and procedural improvements.[6] It is currently fully operational. In February 2020, PLD Space successfully completed a 122 second test that allowed it to achieve flight rating.[7]

TEPREL-C

Flight version of the TEPREL engine[8] to be used in the Miura 5 rocket. It will be able to produce 81.6 kN of thrust at sea level.[9]

References
  1. Marín, Daniel (16 Feb 2018). "Europa apuesta por PLD Space para alcanzar el espacio". Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  2. "PLD Space ready to test its new engine". pldspace.com. 10 Jul 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  3. "The Spanish Government supports PLD Space launchers development with a $1.56M TEPREL program". pldspace.com. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  4. https://pldspace.com/images/MIURA_1/MIURA1_Payload_Users_Guide.pdf
  5. http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/space_transportation/LAUNCHER_WS_Presentation_PLDSpace.pdf
  6. https://spacenews.com/pld-space-books-first-suborbital-flight-nears-resolution-of-engine-setback/
  7. https://www.defensa.com/aeronautica-y-espacio/exito-ensayo-motor-cohete-para-lanzador-reutilizable-pld-space
  8. https://danielmarin.naukas.com/2017/01/09/pld-space-mas-cerca-del-espacio/
  9. http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/space_transportation/LAUNCHER_WS_Presentation_PLDSpace.pdf
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