Barber-Nichols designed and built a 6 kW Uninterruptible Power System that utilized a High Inertia Turbine (HIT 6). The alternator is situated between the turbine wheel and the 2.0 kg (4.5 lb) fly wheel. When the unit is on standby the alternator acts as an electrical motor, consumes a small amount of power, and maintains…

The Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Brayton Cycle test loop Barber-Nichols produced for the U.S. Department of Energy was loaded on to three trucks today and is being transported to Sandia National Laboratories for continued testing. The U.S. Department of Energy is developing Supercritical CO2 Brayton Cycle technology specifically to support Generation IV Nuclear Reactor design. Generation…

Barber-Nichols Inc. (BNI) is proud to have supplied the ten rocket engine turbopumps used by SpaceX in its successful launch of the Falcon 9 mission leading to a historic rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS). This mission is the first commercial flight to the ISS and marks the 35th engine flown. BNI is pleased…

Barber-Nichols Inc. (BNI) was awarded a five-year contract valued in excess of $10 Million for the manufacture of Air Turbine Assemblies which are used on the Navy’s Virginia Class submarine fleet. BNI’s employees and management are proud that the U.S. Navy and its prime contractors are confident that we can successfully deliver this mission-critical hardware.…

Barber-Nichols Inc. (BNI) would like to congratulate SpaceX on its successful launch of the Falcon 9. BNI has been working with SpaceX since 2002 and produced the turbopumps that supply kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOX) propellants to the Merlin engines. There are ten engines in all; nine engines provide thrust for the first stage…

A cryogenic pump produced by Barber-Nichols Inc. (BNI) is featured in NASA Tech Briefs because it uses composite materials to increase pump efficiency and reduce conductive heat leak. Several modifications were made to the design and operation of the extended-shaft cryogenic pump to increase the pumping efficiency. In general, cryogenic fluid pumping efficiency is limited…

Barber-Nichols’ founders, Bob Barber and Ken Nichols cut the cake at the company’s 40th-anniversary celebration. Barber and Nichols met while both were employed at Hamilton Sundstrand, decided to go into business for themselves in 1966, and specialized in turbine engineering. Since that time, the company has grown to 61 employees, has fully integrated engineering and…

Barber-Nichols was awarded a confidential contract for two LNG Vapor Return Compressors to be installed at one billion cubic foot/day import terminal and regasification plant. Commercial operations will commence in 2008, will improve natural gas supplies in the Southwestern United States, and will bolster the regional economy. Additionally, project managers are working extensively with regional…

Michael Costas, RS-68 Program Manager, and Brant Julian, SM&P Senior Manager with Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power’s Expendable Propulsion Programs recognized Barber-Nichols Inc. (BNI) for work well done on the RS-68 Engine.  The RS-68 powers America’s newest space launch vehicle, the Delta IV. BNI uses a high-quality Electrochemical Machining process to produce the engine’s turbopump nozzle rings. During…

In a U.S. House of Representatives special orders proceeding, Colorado Congressman Bob Beauprez recognized Barber-Nichols Inc. (BNI) for its work with the United States Navy and the Applied Research Laboratory (ARL) at Penn State. The U.S. Navy is developing a defensive countermeasure known as the Anti-Torpedo Torpedo (ATT) to protect its surface ships from torpedo…