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Author
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Topic: Rocketdyne Apollo F-1 engine LOX flow meter
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holcombeyates
Member Posts: 243
From: UK
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 11-27-2014 04:41 AM
   
Can anyone offer any further information on this Rocketdyne F-1 engine LOX flow meter?I acquired it at May's RR Auction — description as follows: Measuring approximately 6.75″ high, milled from a single billet of stainless steel. Meter, serial no. NA-1 1/2-313, retains all of its covers with the seals intact. Meter retains its original NASA inspection label, dated in a technician's hand "8-3-65." In fine, bright condition. An uncommon relic as less than 100 engines were built, with most having been flown. To my mind, its size would preclude it being from the main LOX supply lines so I would be interested to know which F-1 sub assembly or unit it originated.It's a really nice piece and I would like to have a stand and plaque made for it, but want to do my research first. How rare are these pieces? There must have been far in excess of 100 made.  
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SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-27-2014 07:18 AM
Integral to the pressurization system. |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 11-27-2014 07:44 AM
Nice piece! |
holcombeyates
Member Posts: 243
From: UK
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 11-28-2014 05:08 AM
Thanks Scott (Spacaholic)! — brilliant to have that information. Now to find it on some F-1 photos.Can I ask where you found the isometric drawing from? It would be good to have a description of each numbered item in the drawing. Anyone ever seen a piece like this before? Thanks again. — Mark |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2474
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 11-28-2014 05:55 AM
I think I have found a photo or two that shows it. If you e-mail me I will send them. |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 11-29-2014 07:44 PM
As Scott indicated, the flowmeter is part of the stage pressurization system.LOX is tapped off of the LOX dome at approximately the 11:00 position and is routed to the heat exchanger. The LOX supply line is the second-from-left or second-from-bottom, depending on how you look at it; it is the line with the braided section. The diameter of the line from the LOX dome to the heat exchanger is fairly small (probably less than 1") and the line is routed behind the turbopump support outriggers, so is even harder to see than the other three lines. I did trace the LOX supply line from the LOX dome to the heat exchanger and have the following photo of the flowmeter in situ. It's pretty buried and is not something that you'd photograph by accident.   The diagram Scott posted is from the F-1 Rocket Engine Technical Manual: Illustrated Parts Breakdown, page 2-5 (page 5 in the PDF). The F-1 Engine Familiarization Training Manual has a description of the flowmeter starting on page 1-40 (page 48 in the PDF) and has a cut-away diagram of the flowmeter on page 1-42 (page 50). If you can dig up a copy of the Saturn V News Reference, page 3-7 (of the August 1967 version of the News Ref) has a paragraph about it, although the description is less detailed than the Familiarization Manual. The USSRC also has a large-scale model of the flowmeter, albeit not identified as a model and lacking any explanatory signage. The photos above appear to be from the linked auction listing, and so are presumably copyrighted by the auction house. Do you have any similar images of the item which you took that I might use for my website? |
holcombeyates
Member Posts: 243
From: UK
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 12-01-2014 05:38 AM
Gents, this is great information - just what I was looking for and it gives me some context to the piece. It will make a good display item, will now be able to add some of the engineering background to it.Thank you for the close-up photo - was that cropped from a larger photo - if so would you mind emailing it to me please. Great to have a piece of the legendary F-1 engine in my Apollo collection. I will take some photos of it and email them to you. Many thanks. |
mikej
Member Posts: 481
From: Germantown, WI USA
Registered: Jan 2004
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posted 12-01-2014 06:12 PM
No, it's not a crop. If you click the photo in my post above, it'll load the full-resolution (10 megapixel) version.As I said, it's really buried in there, and takes some effort to locate and photograph. I am in the midst of going through my heat exchanger-related photos, which should at least put the photo above in context, and will update my Website with those photos once I get some free time. |
holcombeyates
Member Posts: 243
From: UK
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 12-02-2014 04:31 AM
Thanks - its a great photo to add to the display. Will get the photos of the flowmeter for you tomorrow. Might even be able to stretch to some video of the blade in motion... well being pushed around with a pen. |
ApolloEra
Member Posts: 18
From: Sherman Oaks, CA, USA
Registered: Feb 2013
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posted 12-02-2014 11:55 AM
Hello everyone! I was the consigner of the LOX flowmeter. I had two, the remaining one is probably my favorite piece in my hardware collection. A nice tribute to the machinist who made it long before CNC machines. I don't know what the production numbers are but I am guessing not much more than 200 as each engine only needed one and I believe 98 F-1s were built. I do not have access to mine currently as I am actually in Afghanistan with the US Army (Medical Corps). I believe it also has a serial # right around #300 (maybe the started at #100?). I will try to email some pictures for the website shortly... |
garymilgrom
Member Posts: 1966
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 12-02-2014 12:42 PM
ApolloEra; thank you for your service. |
holcombeyates
Member Posts: 243
From: UK
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 12-03-2014 06:02 AM
Thanks for the info Apollo Era and many thanks for parting with the spare one - it is a treasured part of my collection. Mine has the S/N 313. How did you come by them? |
holcombeyates
Member Posts: 243
From: UK
Registered: Dec 2010
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posted 12-08-2014 07:30 AM
If anyone else would like these photos emailed to them please let me know. 
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ApolloEra
Member Posts: 18
From: Sherman Oaks, CA, USA
Registered: Feb 2013
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posted 12-09-2014 12:55 AM
Great pictures, especially the one of the interior rotor vanes must have been tricky.The item was obtained from a well known aerospace surplus warehouse in the Los Angeles area. Most of the quality space race items have long since been picked over but there are a few finds here and there... |
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