Patent — available for licensing
Reverse Vortex Ring (RVR)
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
Innovators at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have developed a mechanism for improving rotordynamic stability and response in turbomachinery. The Reverse Vortex Ring (RVR) invention was created specifically to solve instability problems with turbopumps on the Space Shuttle main engine, which has been a persistent problem for NASA engineers since the 1970s. With the advent of rotating machinery, high-speed rotors have been of interest to engineers. Rotating machinery has been employed in a wide range of applications in the past century, ranging from steam turbines for electric power generation to the turbo pumps used in the Space Shuttle Main Engines. As these machines have become more commonplace, there has been an increased demand for lightweight, compact designs. The required power output of these units has also increased leading to ever high power to weight ratios. These leaner designs are the hallmark of the aerospace industry.