Ram Accelerators: Proceedings of the Third International Workshop on Ram Accelerators Held in Sendai, Japan, 16–18 July 1997

337 Pages·1998·15.86 MB·English

by  A. P. Bruckner (auth.)

Ram Accelerators
Springer
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London
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Paris
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Tokyo
K. Takayama· A. Sasoh (Eds.)
Ram
Accelerators
Proceedings
of the Third International Workshop
on Ram Accelerators
Held in Sendai, Japan, 16-18 July 1997
With 305 Figures and 24 Tables
Springer
Professor K. Takayama
Associate Professor A. Sasoh
Shock Wave Research Center
Institute of Fluid Science
Tohoku University
2-1-1 Katahira,Aoba-ku
Sendai 980-8577, Japan
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.
International Workshop on Ram Accelerators (3rd: 1997: Sendai-han, Japan) Ram accelerators: proceedings
of the third International Workshop on Ram Accelerators, held in Sendai, Japan, 16-18 July 1997 1 K. Takaya
ma,A. Sasoh (eds.) p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ).ISBN·13: 978·3.£4246878·0 (hardcover: alk.
paper) 1. Hypervelocity guns--Congresses. 2. shock tubes--Congresses. 3. Projectiles--Congresses. I.
Takayama, K. (Kazuyashi), 1940- . II. Sasoh, A. III. Title.
TL567.S4153 1997 629.132'306--dc2l 98-26286 CIP
ISBN-13: 978-3-642-46878-0 e-ISBN-13: 978-3-642-46876-6
DOl: 10.1007/978-3-642-46876-6
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Foreword
The Ram Accelerator is one of the most challenging projects that I have ever
undertaken. I was fortunate in having a group of very imaginative colleagues
working with me at the time. Together we developed a working system that
we call the "Ram Accelerator." This system and its variations have been
discussed at International Workshops on Ram Accelerators (In Saint Louis
1993, Seattle 1995 and Sendai 1997).
The Ram Accelerator remains a subtle and demanding project involving'
the combined action of combustion, wave systems, and turbulence. While I
am very pleased with what scientists and engineers have done out over the
years since the concept was introduced, there still remains much to do.
The quality of the work in this book shows that we are now acquiring
much of the basic information and, indeed, some of the practical engineering
knowledge that is necessary for us to move forward in this area. I hope that I
shall be able to attend the next meetings and enjoy the opportunity to meet
with colleagues.
The basic concept of the Ram Accelerator offers a new approach to mass
launches, and still remains one of our most interesting tools for the genera
tion of basic fluid dynamics data in supersonic reacting systems. Of all of the
ground-based mass launchers that may ultimately be able to reach orbital
velocity, the Ram Accelerator remains the only scalable system and hence
might be useful to impulsively lift masses into space in a cost-effective man
ner. It is a worthwhile, intellectual challenge and a fascinating experimental
tool.
Seattle, Washington
September 1997 Abraham Hertzberg
Preface
The Third International Workshop on Ram Accelerators was held at the
Shock Wave Research Center, Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University,
Sendai, Japan from July 16 to 18, 1997. Scientists and engineers from twelve
nations, USA, France, Germany, Korea, Canada, Israel, Australia, Russia,
Iran, China, Brazil, and Japan, participated in the workshop or submitted pa
pers. The first success in the operation of this noble device at the University of
Washington motivated other researchers to join the venture of developing the
device. A micro-workshop, which initiated the international collaboration in
ram accelerator activities, was held during the Eighteenth International Sym
posium on Shock Waves, Sendai, July 1991. The First International Workshop
on Ram Accelerators was organized by the French-German Research Insti
tute of Saint-Louis (ISL), France, in 1993; the second one by the University
of Washington, WA, USA in 1995. In each international workshop, various
aspects of ram accelerators were intensely discussed. The presented material
was bound and served as proceedings at the venues.
In spite of the previous progress in this technology, it still warrants further
intense investigation for its practical application. So far, knowledge on ram
accelerators has spread to only a limited number of scientists and engineers. It
might not be easy for people who have not been involved in related projects
to participate in further research adventure on this device. Based on this
background, this book was edited not only as the proceedings of the workshop
but also as an introductory textbook on ram accelerators. This book includes
three lecture notes on important aspects - overview of research activities,
performance modeling and high-pressure detonation dynamics. Readers will
also benefit from the reviews or summaries of the related topics as given in
other contributed papers. We hope that this book will act both as a bound
volume on current technologies and as an introduction for many scientists
and researchers.
We would like to express our gratitude to all the contributors and partic
ipants in the workshop, including Dr. Tsutomu Saito, Dr. Osamu Onodera,
Messrs Hidenori Ojima, Toshihiro Ogawa, Ms Aki Tanimoto, Ms Naoko Vagi,
Ms Takako lijima, and students of the Shock Wave Research Center for their
valuable help in organizing the workshop. Also, we thank Ms Etsuko Hagita
for her assistance with this edition and Ms Michiyo Sasoh for designing the
VIII Preface
cover figures from our experimental visualization. The organizer wishes to ac
knowledge the support provided by Japan Society for Promotion of Science
(JSPS).
Shock Wave Research Center
Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University
Sendai, Japan, May 1998 Kazuyoshi Takayama
Akihiro Sasoh
Contents
Lecture Notes
The Ram Accelerator: Overview and State of the Art
A.P. Bruckner .......................................................... 3
Ram Accelerator Performance Modeling
C. Knowlen, A. Sasoh ................................................. 25
Real Gas Effects in Ram Accelerator Propellant Mixtures:
Theoretical Concepts and Applied Thermochemical Codes
P. Bauer, J.F. Legendre, M. Henner, M. Gimud ........................ 39
Facilities and Experiments
High Acceleration Experiments Using a Multi-stage Ram Accelerator
J.E. Elvander, C. Knowlen, A.P. Bruckner ............................. 55
RAMAC in Subd etonative Propulsion Mode: State of the ISL Studies
M. Gimud, J.F. Legendre, M. Henner .................................. 65
Presentation of the Rail TUbe Version II of ISL's RAMAC 30
F. Seiler, G. Patz, G. Smeets, J. Srulijes ............................... 79
The Behaviour of Fin-Guided Projectiles
Superdetonative Accelerated in IS1's RAMAC 30
G. Patz, F. Seiler, G. Smeets, J. Srulijes ............................... 89
High Performance Ram Accelerator Research
D.L. Kruczynski ....................................................... 97
Ignition Study for Low Pressure Combustible Mixture
in a Ram Accelerator
X. Chang, S. Matsuoka, T. Watanabe, S. Taki ........................ 105
Thermally Choked Operation in a 25-mm-Bore Ram Accelerator
A. Sasoh, S. Himkata, J. Maemum, Y. Hamate, K. Takayama ........ 111
37-mm-Bore Ram Accelerator of CARDC
Liu Sen, Z. Y. Bai, H.X. Jian, X.H. Ping, S.Q. Bu .................... 119
X Contents
Performance Prediction
Real Gas Effects on Thermally Choked Ram Accelerator Performance
D.L. Buckwalter, C. Know len, A.P. Bruckner ......................... 125
Numerical Investigation on Subdetonative Mode Ramjet-in-TUbe
M.M. Morales, M.A.S. Minucci, l.B. Channes-lr.,
A. G. Ramos, D. Bastos-Netto ......................................... 135
On the Optimization of Thermally-Choked Ram Accelerator Systems
X.l. Wang, E. Spiegler, Y. Timnat ................................... 143
Prediction of Surface Heating of a Projectile
Flying in RAMAC 30 of ISL
F. Seiler, F. Gatau, G. Mathieu ....................................... 151
Ram Accelerator Optimization and Use of Hydrogen Core
to Increase Projectile Velocity
D. W. Bogdanoff ...................................................... 159
Analysis and Experimental Results of a Fin-Stabilized Subcaliber
Projectile with a Blunt Step in the External Propulsion Accelerator
l. Rom, D. Kruczynski, M. Nusca ..................................... 167
Starting Processes
Effects of Launch TUbe Shock Dynamics
on Initiation of Ram Accelerator Operation
l.P' Stewart, A.P. Bruckner, C. Knowlen ............................. 181
Overview of the Subdetonative Ram Accelerator Starting Process
E. Schultz, C. Knowlen, A.P. Bruckner ............................... 189
Diaphragm Rupturing Processes by a Ram Accelerator Projectile
1. Maemura, S. Hirakata, A. Sasoh, K. Takayama, l. Falcovitz ........ 205
Numerical Simulation of the Unsteady Processes
in Starting Period of Ram Accelerator
S. Taki, C. Zhang, X. Chang .......................................... 215
RAMAC 90: Detonation Initiation of Insensitive Dense
Methane-Based Mixtures by Normal Shock Waves
l.F. Legendre, P. Bauer, M. Giraud ................................... 223
Contents XI
Hypersonic Blunt Body in Chemically Reacting Flows
Comparison of Numerical Simulations and PLIF Imaging Results
of Hypersonic Inert and Reactive Flows Around Blunt Projectiles
K. Toshimitsu, A. Matsuo, M.R. Kamel, C.I. Morris, R.K. Hanson ... 235
Comparisons of Numerical Methods for the Analysis
of Unsteady Shock-Induced Combustion
J. Y. Choi, I.S. Jeung, Y. Yoon ....................................... 243
On the Detonation Initiation by a Supersonic Sphere
Y. Ju, A. Sasoh, G. Masuya .......................................... 255
Experimental Observation of Oblique Detonation Waves
Around Hypersonic Free Projectiles
J. Kasahara, A. Takeishi, H. Kuroda, M. Horiba, K. Matsukawa,
J.E. Leblanc, T. Endo, T. Fujiwara ................................... 263
Numerical Prediction of Envelope Oscillation Phenomena
of Shock-Induced Combustion
A. Matsuo ............................................................ 271
Diagnostics
Experimental Investigation of Ram Accelerator Flow Fields
and Combustion Kinetics
M.R. Kamel, C.I. Morris, A. Ben-Yakar, E.L. Petersen, R.K. Hanson. 281
Accelerating Hydrogen/Air Mixtures to Superdetonative Speeds
Using an Expansion Tube
J. Srulijes, G. Smeets, G. Patz, F. Seiler .............................. 295
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Numerical Simulations of Unsteady Ram Accelerator Flow Phenomena
M.J. Nusca ........................................................... 305
Numerical Investigation of Ram Accelerator Flow Field
in Expansion Tube
J. Y. Choi, I.S. Jeung, Y. Yoon ....................................... 313
CFD Computations of Steady and Non-reactive Flow
Around Fin-Guided Ram Projectiles
M. Henner, M. Giraud, J.F. Legendre, C. Berner ..................... 325
Ignition of a Reactive Gas by Focusing of a Shock Wave
M. Rose, U. Uphoff, P. Roth .......................................... 333