SINCE AIR-BREATHING GAS TURBINE ENGINES HAVE BEEN USED FOR A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME, THE TECHNOLOGY HAS REACHED THE STAGE WHERE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN EITHER OVERALL PROPULSIVE CYCLE EFFICIENCY, OR THRUST TO WEIGHT REQUIRES NOVEL SYSTEM CONCEPTS.

SINCE AIR-BREATHING GAS TURBINE ENGINES HAVE BEEN USED FOR A CONSIDERABLE PERIOD OF TIME, THE TECHNOLOGY HAS REACHED THE STAGE WHERE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN EITHER OVERALL PROPULSIVE CYCLE EFFICIENCY, OR THRUST TO WEIGHT REQUIRES NOVEL SYSTEM CONCEPTS. AFTER A CAREFUL REVIEW OF THE STATE- OF-THE-ART, IT APPEARS THAT SEVERAL CONCEPTS UTILIZING HEAT PIPE TECHNOLOGY ARE ATTRACTIVE FOR THIS PURPOSE. THE EFFORT IS TO BUILD ON THE ON-GOING RESEARCH PRESENTLY UNDERWAY AND IS TO CONSIDER COMPLEXITY, SPACE, (PERFORMANCE)IMPROVEMENTS. DESIGN EVALUATIONS ARE BASED ON A STANDARD ENGINE, SUGGESTED BY NASA FOR THIS STUDY. THE COOPERATION OF GAS TURBINE MANUFATURES IS SOLICITED TO ASSURE THAT COMMERCIALLY VIABLE CONCEPTS ARE DEVELOPED. DESIGNS ARE DEVELOPED USING HEAT PIPES TO: COOL TURBINE BLADES, AS HEAT EXCHANGERS, TO RECOVER FROM ENGINE EXHAUSTS AND TO IMPROVE COMBUSTOR DESIGN AND LIFE. CONSIDERATION OF THE (NEGATIVE) IMPACT OF SUGGESTED DESIGN CONCEPTS ON ENGINE AND VEHICLE PERFORMANCE IS MADE. EVERY EFFORT IS MADE TO UTILIZE ENERGY RECOVERY TO IMPROVE ENGINE PERFORMANCE, SUCH AS TO PREHEAT COMBUSTOR OR TURBINE INLET AIR.