SUPERCRITICAL HEAT EXCHANGERS FOR HYPERSONIC AIRCRAFT

THE HEAT LOADS ON BOARD MILITARY AIRCRAFT HAVE HISTORICALLY INCREASED WITH HIGHER MAXIMUM SPEEDS AND GREATER USE OF HEAT GENERATING ELECTRONICS. THE HEAT LOAD IS DISSIPATED BY HEATING THE FUEL PRIOR TO ITS COMBUSTION. TODAY'S AVIATION FUELS, SUCH AS JP8, CAN BE HEATED TO 325 DEGREE F (163OC) WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT DEGRADATION. THIS MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE IS CONSTRAINING THE DESIGN OF FUTURE AIRCRAFT AND THEIR WEAPON SYSTEMS. ADVANCED FUEL CHEMISTRY MAY ALLOW OPERATION TEMPERATURES UP TO 900OF (483OC) WHICH IS ABOVE THE CRITICAL POINT OF MOST HYDROCARBONS. CONSEQUENTLY, CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT HEAT EXCHANGER DESIGNS MAY NOT BE ACCEPTABLE AT THE HIGH TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE AND HIGHLY VARIABLE HEAT TRANSFER PROPERTIES OF THE SUPERCRITICAL FUEL. TDA RESEARCH PROPOSES A SYSTEMATIC INVESTIGATION OF THE DESIGN OF SUPERCRITICAL HEAT EXCHANGERS SUITABLE FOR HYPERSONIC AIRCRAFT. THIS WILL LEAD TO A HARDWARE TEST IN PHASE II.