Conference 7.286::space

936.0. "Aerospike Technology" by BARCOD::DEUFEL (Oh Bother) Wed Mar 22 1995 11:22

Article: 5906
From: [email protected] (Jeff Greason)
Newsgroups: sci.space.tech
Subject: Re: Aerospike engines (long)
Date: 17 Mar 1995 23:12:47 GMT
Organization: Intel PTD, Aloha, OR
 
In article <[email protected]>,
Ben Muniz (586-3578) ; /home/auspex_d0/usr2/yqq7121
<[email protected]> wrote:
>In article <[email protected]>,
>Afam <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>What is an aerospike engine? how does it work and how is it different 
>>from other engine designs?
>
>Where can I get more information?
>
>There are many references to aerospikes in the open technical literature:
>one that I've seen noted but haven't had a chance to get is: Ballard, R. O., 
>"The Aerospike/Aeroplug Engine: A Technology Development Summary", Sverdrup 
>Technology Inc., MSFC Group, Contract NAS8-37814, 1991.
>
>
>Follow-up to sci.space.tech.
 
Since the subject has come up again, I thought I'd re-post the
aerospike bibliography I put together after I asked a similar question
about a year ago...
 
This is a summary of the responses I got about technical references
on aerospikes.  Thanks to all who responded.
 
I was looking for fairly introductory aerospike references, but
somewhat beyond the "popular science" level.  I didn't get that, but
I did get an excellent set of references at an advanced level.  Thanks
to the two individuals working in the field who sent me a very detailed
bibliography (summarized below);
 
David Garza  (University of Texas)
              [email protected]
Michael Fick (Technical University of Munich) 
              [email protected]
 
A common thread in all the responses was agreement that aerospikes are
not a readily acessible subject in the modern literature; they all had
some horror stories to share about the difficulty in tracking down
information.  Much of it is in government and company reports which
are difficult to obtain.
 
Introduction:
-------------
"Aerospikes" and "Plug Nozzles" (the terms are often used interchangeably),
confine the expansion of exhaust gases to a narrow region around the
perimeter of the rocket nozzle.  It is this "expansion" region in which
the thermal energy of the rocket combustion products is converted to
kinetic energy, producing thrust.
 
The primary interest in aerospikes is that, due to the details of the
supersonic expansion profile of the jet, they can be "altitude compensating", 
optimizing their exhaust profile for different ambient pressures, improving 
Isp on a through-atmosphere mission.
 
One note: according to "Rocket Propulsion Elements" (cited below), these
terms are actually not interchangeable.  A "plug nozzle" confines the
exhaust by placing a physical plug in the nozzle, while a true "aerospike"
engine uses a jet of cooler gases in the center of the nozzle to achieve
the same effect.  But I'm not at all sure this distinction is clear in
the literature.
 
Rocketdyne/Pratt & Whitney/GE are claimed to have done some tests on aerospike
engines, but few detailed performance references could be obtained.  In 
particular, one respondent said that Rocketdyne was ready to do a flight 
engine for SSME except that the contract RFP specified conventional nozzles 
so Rocketdyne wouldn't have an unfair advantage.  Rocketdyne's data is 
proprietary.
 
References:
-----------
 
Introductory:
-------------
 
Sutton, George P., "Rocket Propulsion Elements", 6th edition
   (my ISBN was out of date),
 
   "In the section on nozzles there's a few paragraphs introducing the
    concept of plug nozzles/aerospikes.  Just enough to introduce the
    idea; but a nice place to start since you probably own this book
    anyway (or should)"
 
General:
--------
 
Graham, A.R., "The Plug Nozzle Handbook"; General Electric Co., August,
   1968, Contract #:NAS9-3748
 
   "... has a restriction "Government Agencies Only" on it ... Early, 
    '50's-'60's, research was done mostly by GE, and this is supposed to be 
    the only textbook/handbook on plug nozzles with lots of design info, but 
    it won't have anything on the Rocketdyne work."
 
Ballard, R.O., "The Aerospike/Aeroplug Engine"; Sverdrup Technology, 1991,
   Contract #:NAS8-37814
 
   "the most up to date summary of info ..."
 
Sutor, A.T., "Rocket Engine Nozzle Compendium"; Rocketdyne Div., 1985,
   Contract #:F33657-82-C-0346
 
   "... compiled for the Air Force, and may also have a restriction
    on distribution ...  summarizes Rocketdyne's experience with aerospikes, 
    and includes a full page plot of slipstream effects."
 
Wasko, Robert A., "Performance of Annular Plug and Expansion-Deflection
   Nozzles Including External Flow Effects at Transonic Mach Numbers"; 
   Lewis Research Center, April, 1968, NASA TN D-4462
 
   "...  a 32 page report on cold-flow test of full-length and truncated
    plug, as well as an expansion-deflection nozzle.  Testing was done in 
    still air, as well as Mach numbers from about .5 to 2.0, and the truncated
    plugs and E-D were tested both with and without base flow"
   
O'Brien, C.J., "Unconventional Nozzle Tradeoff Study"; Aerojet Liquid Rocket
    Company, July, 1979, NTIS: N79-28224, Contract #: NAS3-20109
 
    "... a long report on a proposal to use an aerospike for a Space Tug, and 
     it includes a fairly long section on plug nozzle background. 300+ pages"
 
Huang, D.H., "Aerospike Engine Technology Demonstration for Space Propulsion";
   Rocketdyne Div., 1974, Contract #: F04(611)-67-C-0116
 
    "describes the development of a 25,000 lb flight-weight engine at 
     Rocketdyne, but doesn't have much on engine performance once it was
     built."
   
Sergeant, R.J., "An Experimental Hot Rocket Model Investigation of a Plug 
   Cluster Nozzle Propulsion System, Part I: Base Thermal and Pressure 
   Environment For a Module Chamber Pressure of 300 psia and Simulated 
   Altitudes to 150,000 Feet"; Cornell Aeronautical Lab, 
   CAL Ho. HM-2045-Y-5(I), September 1967
 
On exact design procedures for the plug:
----------------------------------------
 
G.V.R. Rao, "Exhaust Nozzle Contour for Optimum Thrust"; Jet Propulsion, 
   June 1958, p 377-382
 
G.V.R. Rao, "Spike Nozzle Contour for Optimum Thrust"; (Rocketdyne), 
    Ballistic Missile and Space Technology, Vol.2, Pergamon Press, New York, 
    1961
 
Lee, C.C., "FORTRAN Programs for Plug Nozzle Design"; TN R-41; NASA CR-51300, 
   March 1963
 
Lee, C.C., "Computation of Plug Nozzle Contours by the Rao Optimum Thrust 
   Method"; Brown Engineering TN R61; NASA CR-51301, July 1963
 
 
On integration issues with specific vehicles (an issue with aerospikes):
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Fanciullo, T.J, D.C. Judd, C.J. O'Brien, "Operationally Effective
   Nozzles for SSTO Vehicles"; Aerojet Propulsion Div., GenCorp Aerojet,
   1992, Contract #: SDIO84-90-C-0030,
 
   <Deals with Delta Clipper>
 
Immich, H., R.C. Parsley, "Plug Engine Systems for Future Launch Vehicle
   Applications"; MBB Deutsche Aerospace and UTC Pratt & Whitney, June 1993,
   AIAA 93-2560, AIAA/SAE/ASME/ASEE 29th Joint Propulsion Conference and
   Exhibit, June 28-30, 1993, Monterey, CA
 
   <Deals with General Dynamics proposal competing with Delta Clipper>
 
Gielda, Thomas P., T.M. Walter, Ramesh K. Agarwal, "Single Stage Rocket
   Performance Prediction and Test"; McDonnel Douglas, March, 1992,
   AIAA 92-1386, Contract #: SDIO84-91-C-0029, AIAA Space Programs and
   Technologies Conference, Huntsville, AL, March 24-27. 1992
 
   <Deals with Delta Clipper>
 
Heald, Dan A., "Plug Nozzle Propulsion System"; General Dynamics, February,
   19922, NTIS: N93-10013
 
   <Deals with General Dynamics proposal competing with Delta Clipper>
 
Fanciullo, T.J, D.C. Judd, C.J. O'Brien, "Critical Engine System Design
   Characteristics for SSTO Vehicles," Aerojet, February, 1992,
   NTIS: N93-10014, Contract #: SDIO84-90-C-0030
 
   <Deals with Delta Clipper>
 
   "Both this and the above are in 1992 JANNAF Propulsion Meeting, Vol 1,
    NTIS: N93-10001"
 
Heald, Dan A., Kessler, Thomas L., "Single Stage to Orbit Vertical Takeoff
   and Landing Concept Challenges," General Dynamics, Oct, 1991, IAF 91-205,
   42nd IAF International Astronautical Congress, Montreal, Oct 5-11, 1991
 
 
 
Disclaimer: While I am an Intel employee, all opinions expressed are my own,
     and do not reflect the position of Intel, NETCOM, or Zippy the Pinhead.  
============================================================================
Jeff Greason                 "We choose to go to the Moon in this decade,
  <[email protected]>  and do the other things, not because they 
  <[email protected]>     are easy, but because they are hard." -- JFK