UNIFIED CYCLE ENGINE CONTINUOUSLY OPERABLE FROM STATIC TO HYPERSONIC CONDITIONS

THE STUDY PROPOSED HEREIN IS OF A NOVEL PROPULSION SYSTEM, CONTINUOUSLY OPERABLE FROM STATIC SEA-LEVEL CONDITIONS TO HIGH ALTITUDE HYPERSONIC CONDITIONS. THIS PROPULSION SYSTEMDOES NOT REQUIRE A SEPARATE SUBSYSTEM FOR TAKEOFF AND TRANSONIC ACCELERATION. THE SYSTEM PROPOSED IS A CRYOGENICLY FUELED AIR-BREATHING ENGINE WITH TAKEOFF AND TRANSONIC IN THE 3000 TO 5000 SECOND RANGE, WITH RELATIVELY HIGH THRUST/WEIGHT AND THRUST/AREA RATIOS. THE OBJECT OF THIS STUDY IS TO PARAMETRICALLY EXPLORE THE OPERATIONAL ENVELOPES OF PROPULSION SYSTEMS UTILIZING THE PROPOSED OPERATING CYCLE. THRUST, WEIGHT, AREA, AND FUEL CONSUMPTION PARAMETERS WILL BE CORRELATED WITH ALTITUDE AND FLIGHT MACH NUMBER. THE EFFORT TO OBTAIN THE STATED OBJECTIVES WILL CONSIST MAINLY OF REFINING A ONE DIMENSIONAL COMPUTER MODEL TO INCLUDE REAL GAS AND SHOCK EFFECTS, MODIFICATION OF A TWO DIMENSIONAL NAVIER-STOKES SOLVER TO MODEL PORTIONS OF THE CYCLE ON A CYBER 205 OR CRAY XMP, AND ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT THIS STUDY WILL PRESENT A METHOD OF PROPULSION FAR SUPERIOR TO ANY YET PROPOSED FOR HYPERSONIC VEHICLES.