CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE HYPERSONIC ENGINE STRUCTURES

ADVANCED COMPOSITES BASED ON CERAMIC OR CARBON MATRICES ARE CANDIDATES FOR HOT ENGINE WALL STRUCTURES. THE HIGHER MEAN OPERATING TEMPERATURES OF THESE COMPOSITES RELATIVE TO METALLIC WALL RESULTS IN REDUCED COOLANT (FUEL) CONSUMPTION AS WELL AS REDUCED WEIGHT, REDUCED HYDROGEN CORROSION/EMBRITTLEMENT RISK AND GREATER ACOUSTIC DAMPING CAPABILITY. HYDROGEN FUEL WILL BE UTILIZED EXTENSIVELY FOR COOLING AVIONICS AND STRUCTURES IN ADVANCED BY PERSONIC VEHICLES. ADVANCED COMPOSITES WITH INTREGAL COOLANT PASSAGES POTENTIALLY REDUCED HYDROGEN CONSUMPTION FOR COOLING PURPOSES BY USING WARM HYDROGEN (1400-1600 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT) FOR COOLING THE CMC STRUCTURES TO (2200-2400 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT). THIS COOLANT WOULD OTHERWISE BE EXTENDED FROM A COOLANT USE CAPABILITY AND ACCORDINGLY MORE HYDROGEN WOULD BE CONSUMED. INITIAL COOLED CMC PANEL DEVELOPMENT WILL BE INITIALIZED.