ADVANCED ENDOTHERMIC FUEL REACTOR

AN ADVANCED ENDOTHERMIC FUEL REACTOR (AER) IS PROPOSED WHICH UTILIZES A UNIQUE HEAT PIPE CONFIGURATION TO TRANSFER HEAT FROM HOT COMPONENTS OF A HYPERSONIC PROPULSION SYSTEM TO ENDOTHERMIC FUEL. THIS INNOVATIVE CONCEPT RESPONDS TO THE HIGH MACH COMBINED CYCLE ENGINE TECHNOLOGIES TOPIC IN THE AREA OF ENDOTHERMIC FUEL REACTOR/ENGINE INTEGRATION AND HEAT EXCHANGERS. PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE: TO ESTABLISH THAT AER TECHNOLOGY CAN EFFECTIVELY HANDLE HYPERSONIC PROPULSION HEAT LOADS, TO ESTABLISH THAT AER TECHNOLOGY FACILITATES OVERALL ENGINE COMPACTNESS AND INTEGRATION, AND TO IDENTIFY KEY AER DEVELOPMENT NEEDS. PROJECT OBJECTIVES WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH COMPLETION OF THE FOLLOWING TASKS: DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE STUDIES, CONCEPT ASSESSMENT, AND KEY TECHNOLOGY NEEDS. ANTICIPATED RESULTS INCLUDE: DETERMINATION OF AER SIZE AND WEIGHT, IMPACT ON ENGINE PERFORMANCE, ASSESSMENT OF CONCEPT FEASIBILITY, AND DEFINITION OF KEY PROBLEM AREAS AND NEEDED R&D. RESULTS WILL BE DIRECTLY APPLICABLE TO AIR FORCE HYPERSONIC PROPULSION PROGRAMS.