Abstract: The centrifugal pump with an open-faced impeller comprises at least one open-faced impeller having blades placed inside a casing defining both a delivery pipe and a suction pipe facing the base of the blades situated in the vicinity of a central shaft for driving the impeller. An active axial balancing system for the rotary assembly is integrated in the impeller and comprises a balancing chamber interposed between the rear face of the body of the impeller and an outer rear portion of the casing, the impeller itself acting as the balancing turntable. A shroud-forming intermediate part is prevented from rotating relative to the casing and is interposed between an outer front portion of the casing and the impeller, a cavity is formed between the outer front portion of the casing and the intermediate part to receive a back pressure of predetermined value serving, in operation, to maintain small clearance without contact between the intermediate part that is prevented from rotating and the blades of the impeller.

Abstract: A compact high power turbopump for feeding liquid propellant to a rocket engine comprises: a short, large diameter shaft that is capable of rotating; a single impeller providing a large pressure rise at a large flow rate, the impeller being mounted on the short shaft so as to constitute a single pump stage; a ball bearing for supporting the short shaft in a small section zone thereof situated in front of the impeller; a fluid bearing dimensioned so as to withstand a high speed of rotation N and having a large diameter D, the fluid bearing serving to support the short shaft in a large section zone situated behind the impeller; a turbine cantilevered out on the short shaft behind the fluid bearing; an inducer of the high pressure type disposed upstream from the ball bearing on the suction pipe; and metal casing elements for the pump and for the turbine that are of simplified shape.

Abstract: A centrifugal pump with an open-faced impeller for conveying a working liquid, the pump comprising at least one open-faced impeller provided with blades placed inside a casing defining a suction pipe facing the bottoms of the blades in the vicinity of a central shaft that drives the impeller and forming a part of a rotary assembly, and a delivery pipe fitted with a fixed diffuser disposed facing the peripheral ends of the blades. An active axial balancing system for the rotary assembly, which balancing system is integrated in the impeller and comprises a balancing chamber interposed between the rear face of the body of the impeller and an outer rear portion of the casing.