PS4 engine

13-05-2024

PS4 engine

Why in the news?

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently successfully tested a liquid rocket engine PS4 engine of the PSLV stage made with the help of additive manufacturing technology commonly known as 3D printing.

Key Point

The engine, PS4, which is used as the engine for the fourth stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), was redesigned by ISRO for production using 3D printing.

About PS4 engine:

• It is the uppermost stage of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), comprising two Earth storable liquid engines.
• It is a process that uses computer-created design to make three-dimensional objects layer by layer.

•  It is an additive process, in which layers of a material like plastic, composites or bio-materials are built up to construct objects that range in shape, size, rigidity, and colour.
• It uses a bipropellant combination of nitrogen tetroxide as the oxidizer and monomethyl hydrazine as the fuel, developed by ISRO's Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre.
• The same engine is also used in the Reaction Control System (RCS) of the first stage (PS1) of PSLV.
• ISRO redesigned the conventionally manufactured PS4 engine to make it compatible with additive manufacturing techniques and this innovative approach, known as Design for Additive Manufacturing, has yielded remarkable advantages.

About the Additive Manufacturing

• It is also known as 3D printing which is an emerging technology that is rapidly transforming manufacturing processes worldwide.
• It creates 3-dimensional objects by successively layering materials under computer control.
• It involves layering materials like plastics, composites, or bio-materials to create objects that range in shape, size, rigidity, and colour.
• Compared to traditional subtractive techniques, 3D printing offers immense design flexibility, reduced waste, and the ability to produce complex geometries.

Why did ISRO use 3D printing to build the PS4 engine?

• The technology helped ISRO bring down the number of parts in the engine from 14 to a single piece.
• The space agency was able to eliminate 19 weld joints and saved 97% of raw material. It also reduced the overall production time by 60%.

                   Source: Indian Express

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I

The PS4 engine is used in the uppermost stage of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV).

Statement-II

PS4 engine uses a bipropellant combination of nitrogen oxide as the oxidizer and monomethyl hydrazine as the fuel.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I.

B.Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I.

C.Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect.

D.Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct.

Answer C