Experimental Investigation of Axial and Beam-Riding Propulsive Physics with TEA CO[sub 2] laser

Kenoyer, David A.; Salvador, I. I.; Myrabo, Leik N.; Notaro, S. N.; Bragulla, P. W.

doi:10.1063/1.3507162

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…This leads to a PRF of approximately 5.0-10.0 kHz, at the given conditions. Similar blast wave residency times are obtained in runs [16][17][18][19]. Run 21 presented a longer residency time of 292 μs, based on the schlieren and the reestablishment of the original flowfield and with the pressure disturbances also lasting on the order of 300 μs.…”

Section: Discussion Of the Resultssupporting

confidence: 73%

“…Note that all signals simultaneously jumped when the air breakdown took place at the surface of the shroud (the "hammer"), and the subsequent pressure increases (caused by the propagating blast wave) are seen as offset peaks in Fig. 21, quite in contrast to previous results from runs [16][17][18][19], despite the same geometrical configuration employed.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 55%

“…Scramjets, on the other hand, operate continuously, with the energy added to the flow gradually and along a considerably longer channel; i.e., the aspect ratio between vehicle length and inlet size is much larger in a scramjet engine. This aspect ratio is a restriction in lightcraft vehicles arising from its stability requirements [19]. The inlet unstart also limits the lightcraft operation with the injection of propellant, which can be used to increase pressure at the focus at higher altitudes and speeds [1].…”

Section: Discussion Of the Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Hypersonic Experimental Analysis of Impulse Generation in Airbreathing Laser Thermal Propulsion

Salvador¹,

Myrabo²,

Minucci³

et al. 2013

Journal of Propulsion and Power

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This experimental campaign focused on the analysis of the feasibility for impulse generation of a repetitively pulsed airbreathing laser lightcraft at hypersonic speeds. The future application of interest for this basic research endeavor is the laser launch of nano-and microsatellites (i.e., 1-100 kg payloads) into low Earth orbit, at low cost and on demand. These laser propulsion experiments employed a hypersonic shock tunnel, integrated with twin gigawatt pulsed Lumonics 620-TEA CO 2 lasers to produce the required test conditions. Time-dependent surface pressure distributions were recorded together with schlieren movies of the flowfield structure resulting from the laser energy deposition, at nominal Mach numbers ranging from 6 to 10. The laser induced breakdown occurring off-surface and across the inlet's midchannel was analyzed and discussed against previous theoretical and experimental results. The data indicated laser induced pressure increases of 0.7-0.9 bar with laser pulse energies of ∼170 J, on an off-shroud induced breakdown condition and a freestream Mach number of six. The results of this research corroborate the feasibility of laser powered airbreathing flight with infinite specific impulse (Isp ∞).

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Section: Discussion Of the Resultssupporting

confidence: 73%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 55%

Section: Discussion Of the Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Hypersonic Experimental Analysis of Impulse Generation in Airbreathing Laser Thermal Propulsion

Salvador¹,

Myrabo²,

Minucci³

et al. 2013

Journal of Propulsion and Power

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“…From these results it can be seen that the calculated C m -based on surface pressure distributions-are approximately 2.5 to 5 times higher than the C m obtained in previous research on the Myrabo Lightcraft models (Kenoyer et al, 2010;Myrabo, 2002;Wang, 2002). This would come as a surprise if not for the differences in model size, laser energy, and pulse-widths employed in these experiments.…”

Section: Impulse Generation Analysis From Surface Pressure Distributioncontrasting

confidence: 48%

“…In contrast, conventional chemical-fueled scramjets operate in the "constant pressure" mode, with thermal power released into the working fluid continuously and with considerably-longer combustion chambers than a Lightcraft's short absorption chamber. Furthermore, the aspect ratios (i.e., vehicle length-to-width ratio) of conventional scramjet-powered aircraft are generally much higher than those for spin-stabilized Lightcraft; the laser-boosted craft flown at White Sands Missile Range, all had aspect ratios close to one-a restriction driven by flight-dynamics, stability, and control requirements (Kenoyer et al, 2010).…”

Section: Discussion Of the Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Basic Research Investigations into Multimode Laser and EM Launchers for Affordable Rapid Access to Space (Volumes 1 and 2)

Myrabo¹,

Salvador²,

Kenoyer³

2010

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This basic research effort on pulsed airbreathing/rocket laser propulsion , investigates the physics of laser energy deposition into stationary and hypersonic working Ouids, inclusive of electrical breakdown, ignition of laser-supported detonation waves (LSD}, and blast wave propagation over thruster impulsegenerating surtaces. The future application of AFOSR interest for this basic research endeavor is the laser launch of nano-and micro-satellites (i.e. , 1-1 00 kg payloads} into Low Earth Orbit (LEO), at low cost and "on-demand." The present dual-pronged, combined experimental/numerical research campaigns centered on both static and hypersonic experiments with representative 20 and 30 laser-thruster geometries, using the Lumonics TEA-622 (-200J, -1 OOns) and K922M (20-40J, -100ns) C0 2 lasers. Laser scramjet experiments were pertormed in the T3 tunnel at the Henry T. Nagamatsu Laboratory of Aerothermodynamics and Hypersonics (HTNLAH). Time-dependent surtace pressure distributions were measured over thrust-generating surtaces following laser energy deposition; delivered impulse and momentum coupling coefficients (Cm) were obtained; Schlieren moviesof the impulse generation process were recorded with a high-speed Cord in digital camera, to study the laser breakdown/ blast wave expansion process, and evolving flow field structures in both stationary and hypersonic flow. Time-resolved visualizations of inlet and absorption chamber flowfields, enabled qualitative analysis of dominant phenomena impacting laser-propulsion physics.

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Flow Visualization of Thrust-Vectoring Lightcraft Engines with ∼1μs Pulsed TEA CO[sub 2] Laser

Kenoyer¹,

Salvador²,

Notaro³

et al. 2011

AIP Conference Proceedings

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Experimental Investigation of Axial and Beam-Riding Propulsive Physics with TEA CO[sub 2] laser

Cited by 4 publications

References 4 publications

Hypersonic Experimental Analysis of Impulse Generation in Airbreathing Laser Thermal Propulsion

Hypersonic Experimental Analysis of Impulse Generation in Airbreathing Laser Thermal Propulsion

Basic Research Investigations into Multimode Laser and EM Launchers for Affordable Rapid Access to Space (Volumes 1 and 2)

Flow Visualization of Thrust-Vectoring Lightcraft Engines with ∼1μs Pulsed TEA CO[sub 2] Laser

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