turbopump

[ tur-boh-puhmp ]

noun

1. a turbine-driven pump, as one used to feed propellant to a rocket engine.

Word History and Origins

Origin of turbopump¹

First recorded in 1900–05; turbo- + pump ¹

Example Sentences

Soot forms in fuel-rich combustion chambers, fuel-cooling nozzle walls and turbopump gas generators, and is partly consumed in the hot plumes.

From Scientific American

At one point he describes a rocket engine turbopump, which forced liquid hydrogen and oxygen into the combustion chamber and had to go from a standing stop to 38,000 rpm in less than a second, as about the size of a “Christmas cake,” whatever that is.

From Washington Post

Investigators blamed the botched launch on a defective turbopump in one of Antares’ two main engines, a Soviet-era motor refurbished and sold by Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings .

From Reuters

Investigators blamed the botched launch on a defective turbopump in one of Antares’ two main engines, a Soviet-era motor refurbished and sold by Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings .

From Reuters

NASA's independent review team said last week that the initial fire was caused by friction from rubbing parts in a turbopump in one of the rocket's old Russian-built engines.

From US News