Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Engine walkaroundvol.16: Reaction Motors XLR-11

Subject: Reaction Motors XLR-11
Location: USAF Museum, Dayton, Ohio, USA, 2014
The XLR11, company designation RMI 6000C4, was the first liquid-fuel rocket engine developed in the United States for use in aircraft. It was designed and built by Reaction Motors Inc., and used ethyl alcohol and liquid oxygen as propellants to generate a maximum thrust of 6,000 lbf (27 kN). Each of the four combustion chambers produced 1,500 lbf (6.7 kN) of thrust. The engine was not throttleable but each chamber could be turned on and off individually.The XLR11-RM-5 engine was first used in the Bell X-1. On October 14, 1947, the X-1 became the first aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1). The XLR11-RM-5 was also used in the X-1A and X-1B, and as a booster engine in the U.S. Navy's D-558-2 Douglas Skyrocket turbojet (where it was designated the XLR8-RM-5). In 1959 and 1960, while development of a more powerful engine was still underway, a pair of XLR11-RM-13's were used as an interim power plant for the initial flights of the X-15 research aircraft. These engines were boosted to 2,000 lbf (8.9 kN) of thrust per chamber for a total of 16,000 lbf (71 kN). In comparison, the idle thrust of the X-15's XLR99 engine was 15,000 lbf (67 kN). After 24 powered flights, the XLR11 engines were replaced by the new XLR99 engine in November 1960.The XLR11-RM-13 was also used in the Dryden lifting bodies, and as a booster engine in the Republic XF-91 Thunderceptor turbojet.
(References: Wikipedia)








1 comment:

  1. Good day. I'm doing research on the RMI XLR 11 and am having some trouble finding a view of the injector plate inside the chamber. Does any one have a source or image? I have the dimension, 5 and 1/8 inch but I'm looking for the arrangement of the alcohol and LOX injectors. The Smithsonian has an image of the tail of the Bell X-1 that gives some idea and I can extract what I need from it but it would be a lot nicer if I could just see it straight on. Capt. Tom Sabatino, CAP. Aerospace Education Officer Fresno CA Squadron 112. thomas.sabatino@cawgcap.org Thanks.

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