Drainvalve speed challenge

[Pds314]

The goal of this challenge is to reach as high a speed as possible using drain valves for propulsion in a crewed vehicle starting at KSC. However, you cannot go beyond slider range, and you cannot use them on intake air. The speed need not be sustainable.

I'll start:

55.9 m/s in a helicopter with drain valves as bladetip jets.

Edited June 22, 2020 by Pds314

[sevenperforce]

Let's see here. Doing some testing.

Pushing monopropellant, the drain valve gets between 4.854 and 5.02 seconds of specific impulse in vacuum.

With ore, the drain valve gets 5.03 seconds.

With oxidizer and/or fuel, it's 5.01 seconds.

The variation is odd but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference.

 

[sevenperforce]

I have an 694-tonne, three-stage behemoth that can reach 3.4 km and do 135 m/s.

The curves and gee-forces are nonlinear. Really rather interesting. Whether you do part-based drain or vessel-based drain seems to have a big impact.

Edited June 22, 2020 by sevenperforce

[sevenperforce]

This gets up to 143 m/s (F3 menu falsely says 175 m/s):

 

[Klapaucius]

Not sure if this falls within the spirit of your challenge, but I did this for @Flying dutchman's Drainvalve Atlitude Record challenge.  I got very briefly up to 126 m/s.  Three others did better than I did at this @sturmhauke, @Flying dutchman and @boomchacle.  BTW: What do you mean by "Slider Range?"

 

 

Edited June 23, 2020 by Klapaucius

[sturmhauke]

I would guess it means no cheating the values via file edits, KAL controller shenanigans, etc.

[sevenperforce]

Got up to 224 m/s...could probably do better on the runway.

Little discovery...drainvalve plumes don't collide, so you can stack them end on end with no problems.

If I tilt it further over I can get to 251 m/s.

[sturmhauke]

19 hours ago, Klapaucius said:

Not sure if this falls within the spirit of your challenge, but I did this for @Flying dutchman's Drainvalve Atlitude Record challenge.  I got very briefly up to 126 m/s.  Three others did better than I did at this @sturmhauke, @Flying dutchman and @boomchacle.  BTW: What do you mean by "Slider Range?"

 

 

Yeah if we're counting those entries, here's mine with a max speed of 360 m/s:

 

[Pds314]

On 6/24/2020 at 11:03 AM, sturmhauke said:

Yeah if we're counting those entries, here's mine with a max speed of 360 m/s:

 

Wow. Supersonic on drainvalves! That's really impressive.

[sturmhauke]

10 hours ago, Pds314 said:

Wow. Supersonic on drainvalves! That's really impressive.

Thanks! We here at Sturmhauke Aerospace Industries specialize in abusing parts for fun and profit.