Development Study of Precooled-Cycle Hypersonic Turbojet Engine for Flight Demonstration
- Paper number
IAC-06-C4.5.02
- Author
Dr. Tetsuya Sato, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (IAT/JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Hideyuki Taguchi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Hiroaki Kobayashi, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISTA/JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Takayuki Kojima, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISTA/JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Keiichi Okai, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISTA/JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Kazuhisa Fujita, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISTA/JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Dr. Daisaku Masaki, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (IAT/JAXA), Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Motoyuki Hongo, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)/ISAS, Japan
- Coauthor
Mr. Toyohiko Ohta, IHI Aerospace Co, Ltd., Japan
- Year
2006
- Abstract
This paper presents the current R\&D status and plans concerning a Mach 6 turbojet engine with an air-precooling system for the first stage of TSTO space planes. Reflecting the key technologies accumulated by the ground tests of the ATREX (EXpander cycle ATR) engine, a subscale engine "S-engine" for the flight demonstration is designed, manufactured and tested. S-engine has 23 cm x 23 cm of rectangular cross section, 2.2 m of the overall length and about 100 kg of the weight employing a variable-shaped rectangular inlet and nozzle. It produces 1 kN of thrust at SLS, which corresponds to 1/5 of ATREX-500. The engine cycle of S-engine was selected as the precooled turbojet cycle by the parametric optimization study. The design for the flight model of the hypersonic components such as the air-inlet, precooler and nozzle has been finished. Their aerodynamic performances were verified by the wind tunnel tests and CFD analyses. The shell-and-tube precooler is composed of 1,296 stainless steel tubes of 320 mm in length, 2mm in outer diameter, and 0.15 mm in wall thickness. It was tested under the ground condition using liquid hydrogen, which is supplied from the LH2 supply system of the flight model. The core engine of S-engine whose mass flow rate is 1 kg/sec is very small. Therefore, a peculiar design for S-engine, which is a simple structure with a diagonal-flow compressor (pressure ratio of 6) and a single–stage axial flow turbine, was selected instead of more complicated multi-spool structure suitable for the practical engine. The prototype compressor was made and rotating tests are now in progress. In order to reduce the total length of the core engine, a reverse flow annular type combustor was successfully tested. The turbo-machine and combustion chamber will be combined and tested. The first flight test for S-engine is to be conducted in 2008 by the Balloon-based Operation Vehicle (BOV). The vehicle mainly made of CFRP is approximately 5m in length, 0.55 m in diameter and 500 kg in weight. The vehicle installing S-engine is dropped from an altitude of 40 km by a high altitude balloon. After 40-second free-fall, the vehicle pulls up and S-engine is operated for 30 seconds. Maximum dynamic pressure and velocity are 48 kPa and Mach 1.96 respectively. The vehicle is decelerated by a parachute from the supersonic speed and recovered on the sea. After the BOV tests, the material of S-engine is changed to be operated under Mach 5 condition. (original with pictures in the session file)
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-06-C4.5.02.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
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