Abstract
To meet the demand for air-breathing power for wide-range vehicles at Mach 0–10, two thermal cycles with ammonia as the fuel and coolant were analyzed, namely the precooled rocket-turbine cycle (PC-RT) and the precooled gas-turbine cycle. Firstly, the operating modes of the precooled cycle engines were divided into turbine mode, precooling mode, and ramjet mode. Secondly, a fluid-structure coupling heat transfer program was used to evaluate the cooling effects of different fuels on the incoming high-temperature air. The result shows that the equivalent heat sink of ammonia is higher than that of other fuels and can meet the cooling requirement of at least Mach 4 in the precooling mode. Thirdly, the performance of the PC-RT in the turbine and precooling modes was compared at Mach 2.5. The result shows that air precooling alleviates the restriction of the pumping pressure on the minimum required β and improves the specific thrust within a reasonable range of β. Fourthly, the performance of the precooled cycle engines was compared when using different fuels. The result shows that the specific thrust of ammonia is greater than that of other fuels, and the performance advantages of ammonia are the most obvious in the precooling mode due to its highest equivalent heat sink. To sum up, the precooled cycle engines with ammonia as the fuel and coolant presented in this study have the advantages of no carbon emissions, low cost, high specific thrust, and no clogging of the cooling channels by cracking products. They are suitable for applications such as the first-stage power of the two-stage vehicle, and high Mach numbers air-breathing flight.
摘要
为了满足马赫数0–10宽域飞行器对吸气式动力的需求, 分析了两种以氨为燃料和冷却剂的热力循环, 即预冷火箭-涡轮循环和 预冷燃气涡轮循环. 首先, 将预冷循环发动机的工作模态分为涡轮模态、预冷模态和冲压模态; 其次, 采用流固耦合换热程序, 评估了 不同燃料对来流高温空气的冷却效果. 结果表明, 氨的当量热沉高于其他燃料, 在预冷模态下至少可以满足马赫4来流的冷却需求, 再 次, 比较了马赫2.5时预冷火箭-涡轮循环在涡轮和预冷模态下的性能. 结果表明, 空气预冷减轻了泵压对最小需求β的限制, 在合理的β 范围内提高了比推力; 最后, 比较了使用不同燃料时预冷循环发动机的性能. 结果表明, 氨的比推力大于其他燃料, 由于氨的当量热沉 最高, 因此在预冷模态下氨的性能优势最为明显. 综上所述, 本文介绍的以氨为燃料和冷却剂的预冷循环发动机具有无碳排放、成本 低、比推力大、冷却通道不会被裂解产物堵塞等优点. 它们适用于两级飞行器的第一级动力和高马赫数吸气式飞行等应用场景.
Article PDF
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
M. J. Bulman, and A. Siebenhaar, in Combined cycle propulsion: Aerojet innovations for practical hypersonic vehicles: Proceedings of the 17th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, San Francisco, 2011.
Y. Wei, Major technological issues of aerospace vehicle with combined-cycle propulsion, Aerosp. Technol. 52, 1 (2022).
Z. P. Zou, Y. F. Wang, Q. T. Eri, R. C. Zhang, R. Zhao, and M. Z. Chen, Research progress on hypersonic precooled airbreathing engine technology, Aeroengine 47, 8 (2021).
D. M. Zhu, M. Chen, H. L. Tang, and J. Zhang, “Over-under” concept hypersonic turbo-ramjet combined propulsion system, J. Beijing Univ. Aeronaut. Astronaut. 32, 263 (2006).
R. H. Zheng, and C. B. Chen, Overview of solution to TBCC engine thrust trap problem, J. Rocket Propuls. 47, 21 (2021).
P. Carter, and V. Balepin, in Mass injection and pre-compressor cooling engines analyses: Proceedings of the 38th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, Indianapolis, 2002.
Z. Wang, Y. Wang, J. Zhang, and B. Zhang, Overview of the key technologies of combined cycle engine precooling systems and the advanced applications of micro-channel heat transfer, Aerosp. Sci. Tech. 39, 31 (2014).
A. Q. Lin, Q. Zheng, F. Wu, H. Yang, and H. Zhang, Investigation on mass injection precooling technology of aero-turbine engine, J. Propuls. Technol. 41, 721 (2020).
C. Lv, H. Xu, F. Quan, J. Chang, and D. Yu, Thermodynamic modeling and analysis of ammonia injection pre-compressor cooling cycle: A novel scheme for high Mach number turbine engines, Energy Convers. Manage. 265, 115776 (2022).
K. Harada, N. Tanatsugu, and T. Sato, Development study of a precooler for the air-turboramjet expander-cycle engine, J. Propuls. Power 17, 1233 (2001).
N. Tanatsugu, T. Sato, V. Balepin, K. Harada, H. Kobayashi, Y. Naruo, H. Hatta, Y. Kogo, T. Kashiwagi, T. Mizutani, J. Omi, K. Hamabe, J. Tomike, R. Minami, and J. Kretschmer, in Development study on ATREX engine: Proceedings of the Space Plane and Hypersonic Systems and Technology Conference, Norfolk, 1996.
J. M. Luo, S. H. Yang, J. Q. Zhang, J. Li, Z. Z. Xiang, and W. Z. Zhang, Performance analysis of expander cycle air-turborocket with methane-precooled, J. Propuls. Technol. 42, 1964 (2021).
H. Taguchi, H. Futamura, R. Yanagi, and M. Maita, in Analytical study of pre-cooled turbojet engine for TSTO spaceplane: Proceedings of the 10th International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Kyoto, 2001.
H. Taguchi, H. Kobayashi, T. Kojima, A. Ueno, M. Hongoh, K. Harada, and T. Aoki, in Hypersonic flight experiment plan of precooled turbojet engine: Proceedings of the 18th AIAA/3AF International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Tours, 2012.
R. Varvill, and A. Bond, A comparison of propulsion concepts for SSTO reusable launchers, J. Br. Interplanet. Soc. 56, 108 (2003).
R. Longstaff, and A. Bond, in The SKYLON project: Proceedings of the 17th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, San Francisco, 2011, pp. 2011–2244.
H. Taguchi, H. Kobayashi, T. Kojima, M. Hongoh, D. Masaki, and S. Nishida, in Performance evaluation of hypersonic pe-cooled turbojet engine: Proceedings of the 20th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Glasgow, 2015.
Y. Yao, Z. X. Wang, X. B. Zhang, and L. Zhou, Modeling and cycle characteristics analysis of liquid hydrogen pre-cooled air-breathing engine, J. Propuls. Technol. 43, 26 (2022).
X. Yu, W. Yu, C. Wang, and D. Yu, Thermodynamic analysis of the influential mechanism of fuel properties on the performance of an indirect precooled hypersonic airbreathing engine and vehicle, Energy Convers. Manage. 196, 1138 (2019).
Y. Lu, and X. J. Fan, in Concept design of a high-speed precooled air-breathing engine using methane: Proceedings of the 13th National Conference on Hypersonic Technology, Xiamen, 2021.
C. Wang, C. Ha, X. Pan, J. Qin, and H. Huang, Thermodynamic analysis of chemical precooled turbine combined engine cycle, Energy Convers. Manage. 239, 114184 (2021).
C. Wang, Y. Feng, Z. Liu, Y. Wang, J. Fang, J. Qin, J. Shao, and H. Huang, Assessment of thermodynamic performance and CO2 emission reduction for a supersonic precooled turbine engine cycle fueled with a new green fuel of ammonia, Energy 261, 125272 (2022).
C. Cai, Q. Zheng, J. Fang, H. Chen, C. Chen, and H. Zhang, Performance assessment for a novel supersonic turbine engine with variable geometry and fuel precooled: From feasibility, exergy, thermoeconomic perspectives, Appl. Therm. Eng. 225, 120227 (2023).
E. P. Perman, G. A. S. Atkinson, and W. Ramsay, The decomposition of ammonia by heat., Proc. R. Soc. Lond. 74, 110 (1905).
S. Chiuta, R. C. Everson, H. W. J. P. Neomagus, P. van der Gryp, and D. G. Bessarabov, Reactor technology options for distributed hydrogen generation via ammonia decomposition: A review, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 38, 14968 (2013).
S. R. Deshmukh, A. B. Mhadeshwar, and D. G. Vlachos, Microreactor modeling for hydrogen production from ammonia decomposition on ruthenium, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 43, 2986 (2004).
S. Mukherjee, S. V. Devaguptapu, A. Sviripa, C. R. F. Lund, and G. Wu, Low-temperature ammonia decomposition catalysts for hydrogen generation, Appl. Catal. B-Environ. 226, 162 (2018).
X. Zhang, Y. Lu, D. Cheng, and X. J. Fan, Analysis of performance of ammonia airbreathing variable cycle engine, Chin. J. Theor. Appl. Mech. 54, 3223 (2022).
X. Yu, X. Pan, J. Zheng, C. Wang, and D. Yu, Thermodynamic spectrum of direct precooled airbreathing propulsion, Energy 135, 777 (2017).
J. Q. Zhu, G. P. Huang, and Z. J. Lei, Aerothermo Dynamics of Aeroengine lntake and Exhaust System (Shanghai Jiao Tong University Press, Shanghai, 2014).
Z. X. Chen, Y. Lu, and X. J. Fan, A counter-flow fin-tube air precooler design and its flow heat exchange calculation method, J. Propul. Technol. 44, 152 (2023).
H. Chang, J. Lian, T. Ma, L. Li, and Q. Wang, Design and optimization of an annular air-hydrogen precooler for advanced space launchers engines, Energy Convers. Manage. 241, 114279 (2021).
K. Valen-Sendstad, and D. A. Steinman, in CFD challenge: Solutions using a finite element method flow solver implemented in FEniCS: Proceedings of the ASME 2012 Summer Bioengineering Conference, Fajardo, 2012.
S. M. Yang, and W. Q. Tao, Heat Transfer (Higher Education Press, Beijing, 2006).
H. Li, Z. L. Ru, Z. P. Zou, and S. Z. Zhou, Investigation on heat transfer characteristic of supercritical methane in a microtube, J. Nanjing Univ. Aeronaut. Astronaut. 53, 513 (2021).
H. Kobayashi, N. Tanatsugu, and T. Sato, in Themal management of precooler ATREX engine with expander cycle: Proceedings of the 14th International Symposium on Air Breathing Engines, Florence, 1999.
Y. Higashi, NIST thermodynamic and transport properties of refrigerants and refrigerant mixtures (REFPROP), Netsu Bussei, 14, 2 (2000).
P. Moses, in X-43C plans and status: Proceedings of the 12th AIAA International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies, Norfolk, 2003.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the High-level Innovative Research Institute from the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province (Grant No. 2020B0909010003), and the Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. 8091B02052401).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Author contributions Xin Zhang: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Investigation, Formal Analysis, Writing – original draft. Yang Lu: Conceptualization, Funding Acquisition, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing. Xuejun Fan: Conceptualization, Funding Acquisition, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zhang, X., Lu, Y. & Fan, X. Thermodynamics performance assessment of precooled cycle engines with ammonia as the fuel and coolant. Acta Mech. Sin. 41, 323513 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-024-23513-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10409-024-23513-x