Napier Scorpion
| Scorpion | |
|---|---|
| |
| Triple Scorpion engine on display at the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust, Derby | |
| Type | Rocket engine |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | Napier & Son
|
| First run | 19 May 1956 |
The Napier Scorpion series of
Design and development
After
The Scorpion was a regeneratively-cooled HTP (High Test Peroxide/Kerosene) bi-propellant rocket engine. Fuel and oxidiser were pumped by a single shaft turbo-pump driven by super-heated steam, generated by catalysing HTP. Engine starting was achieved by an electric pump supplying HTP to the turbo-pump decomposition chamber. Once started, a bleed off the turbo-pump oxidiser outlet fed the turbo-pump decomposition chamber to maintain flow of fuel and oxidiser. Due to the single-shaft turbo-pump operating both fuel and oxidiser pumps, flow of fuel and oxidiser were automatically maintained at the correct ratio. The Kerosene fuel is ignited thermally by the super-heated steam from HTP, decomposed by passing over a catalyst in a decomposition chamber, which is injected simultaneously into the combustion chamber.[2][3][1]
First run on 19 May 1956, the N.Sc.1 Scorpion was also fired in the air on the following day, mounted in the bomb-bay of an
Double Scorpion
The Double Scorpion engine was simultaneously developed with the single-chamber Scorpion, consisting of two Scorpion engines mounted together with each unit individually controllable, developing double the thrust. From 1956 Double Scorpion engines were fitted experimentally to two Canberra light bombers, to improve high altitude performance.[4] On 28 August 1957 WK163, fitted with a Double Scorpion, broke the world altitude record, exceeding 70,000 ft (21,000 m).[5][6][7][8]
The Double Scorpion was also considered for use in the
Triple Scorpion
A triple-chamber version was also developed as the Napier Triple Scorpion, emerging as a Double Scorpion with a third chamber mounted centrally under the other two.[2]
Cancellation
The Scorpion project was cancelled in February 1959, at a reported total cost of £1.25 million.[9]
Variants
- Scorpion NSc.1
- Initial development single-chamber engine.
- Double Scorpion NScD.1
- Double-chamber engine.
- Triple Scorpion NScT.1
- Triple-chamber engine.
Engines on display
A sectioned Napier Double Scorpion engine is on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London. Another Napier Double Scorpion engine is on display at the Solent Sky Museum Southampton.
Specifications (Double Scorpion)
General characteristics
- Type: Liquid-propellant rocket engine
- Length: 33.7 in (856 mm)
- Diameter: 23 in (584 mm)
- Dry weight: 216 lb (98 kg)
- Fuel: Kerosene
- Oxidiser: Hydrogen peroxide
Components
- Pumps: Super-heated steam turbo-pump
Performance
- Thrust: 8,000 lbf (35.6 kN)
- Burn time:
See also
Comparable engines
- Bristol Siddeley 605
- de Havilland Spectre
Related lists
Notes and references
- ^ a b "Scorpion" (.pdf). Flight. 73 (2579): 900. 27 June 1958.
- ^ a b Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1959). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1959–60. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd.
- ^ "United Kingdom Aerospace and Weapons Projects: Rocket Engines". Skomer. Archived from the original on 5 February 2006.
- ^ "Napier Rocket Engines" (PDF). The English Electric Journal. June 1957. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2006.
- ^ "SCORPION-CANBERRA'S ,70,000ft:A New Aeroplane Height Record on Final Rocket Power" (PDF). Flight International: 379. 6 September 1957. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
- ^ Popular Science. February 1958.
{{cite journal}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - Flight: 338. 30 August 1957.
- ISBN 0-7524-0766-X.
- Flight: 262. 17 August 1967.