Florida University Program Develops a Breakthrough in Hypersonic Propolsion

I was going to post this a month ago but just forgot. It popped back up in a local news feed I was watching so I figured I would get back to it. Basically a team of students led by professor Kareem Ahmed at University of Central Florida have figured out how to keep the detonation process for efficient fuel burn stabilized at high altitudes with all the problems that brings. Video and article can explain better.

MSN
TAMPA - Aerospace engineers at the University of Central Florida are drawing global attention for their successful experiments in hypersonic propulsion.
UCF has not built such a jet, but professor Kareem Ahmed and his students figured out how to stabilize a hypersonic engine in their lab.

That’s hypersonic as opposed to supersonic. For perspective, NASA’s X-59 supersonic aircraft is designed to fly 925 miles per hour. UCF’s hypersonic design could lead to air travel up to 14 times faster-- up to 13,000 miles per hour!

"The first reaction was actually denial, not believing it’s actually real," said Dr. Ahmed.
For background, we’ve powered engines through internal combustion for more than 200 years.

"When you have fuel injector in a car, it sprays mist into your combustor," said UCF graduate student Steven Schroeder.

The fuel mist burns, which releases energy, which drives motion. We currently ride or fly on comparatively slow, controlled reactions, Dr. Ahmed likens to a burning candle flame.
"The problem with the detonation process is that its unsteady and very hard to control," Schroeder.

That’s where Dr. Kareem Ahmed and his students broke new ground. They developed and tested the world’s first hypersonic engine that can stabilize the detonation.

"We were able to stabilize it repeatedly. It was exciting that now we have the world’s first stabilized ignition wave," Dr. Ahmed noted.
"Most of the time I say I study fire and how to make fire happen faster," said graduate student Rachel Hytovick. "And then if fire can happen faster, we can get places faster."

"Can we predict its behavior and achieve it every time reliably? Once we’re at that phase, we’re ready for technology transition," Ahmed explained.

It seems like the funding for this research got a boost in 2021 with a $1.5 million grant from the Department of Defense. Good to see that this research grant has yielded results. Central Florida may pioneer a new wave of jet and rocket engine technology and manufacturing in the near future. The Orlando Business Journal reports that the Board of Trustees was voting on leasing a nearby building to expand their research.

WFTV
ORLANDO, Fla. — Editor’s note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal.

The University of Central Florida wants to lease a building to help it become a national leader in hypersonic and space research.

The university’s board of trustees on June 25 will consider a lease of 50,800 square feet at 12889 Ingenuity Way in the Central Florida Research Park. The building would allow it to become a center of excellence tied to high-speed propulsion of vehicles, including space rockets.

UCF has led research in the development of technology to pave the way for hypersonic flight of Mach 6 to 17, which would allow you to go from New York to Los Angeles in 30 minutes.

So if you got kids who are showing interest in aviation engineering and rocket science, plan for them to go to UCF in the future. The USA needs all the talent it can find in the coming years for this technology transition, so start strapping toy planes to fireworks with your kids and get them interested in propulsion and aviation today so they have no excuse in twenty years why they cant stop by for Christmas or your B-day when they can take a fifteen - 45 minute flight from anywhere in the USA. More time will be spent in the airport than in the air. I guess that will be the excuse lol!

Ahh the times, just for fun remember that the World's First Jet Suit Race happened in Dubai in the Spring. That was pretty cool. Finally those advertisements in comic books will not just be cheap leaf blowers!!

I hope it is at least comparable to the Russians hypersonic weapons! We have let our tech and production lines of the good stuff go to China. I do recall proof of kickbacks for Hunter and the big Guy are in more than one source involving China that are being quashed by our DOJ. That laptop being one of them.

Sounds like there could be a lot of heat produced in that tube system when using it long running. I wonder what they are going to line it with to keep it from melting down if used in a jet engine flying a distance? It's a breakthrough in that they figured out how to stabalize the reaction but the increase in heat of the tube can also effect how it works running for a while too, sort of a pre-ignition problem which would require even a variable deflector at the end because of changes that occur in the temperature of the gases inside. There could be a lot of variables that have to be worked out, and the person designing it does state that it may be 2050 before it is in use. But this is impressive that they figured it out and it could lead to more efficient engines in the future.

a reply to: rickymouse

Twenty five years is just the right amount of time to have a good size family, raise them right, and get them interested in this technology for study in college by 2050. Lets make it happen folks! I am bringing it up at our family dinner just as a point of discussion.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Interesting article and OP. Thanks for posting! I do have a couple comments though.

The "propulsion" component may be ready in 25 years, but I sincerely doubt the "vehicle" will be ready in this time. There are all sorts of engineering challenges with scramjet technology, and this UCF program is addressing some of them, but there are far greater engineering challenges with the vehicle itself, and the UCF program isn't set up to test these challenges.

It's unclear from the video if the UCF program is even evaluating scramjet technology as part of their program, and perhaps I missed it, but I didn't see any references to the velocities involved. Hyper-sonic flight is generally defined as flight in excess of Mach 5. "Choking" (or effectively flameout) at these velocities is a big challenge, and it appears this is what the UCF program is focused on when they say things like "stabilized" detonation. I can only assume they mean 'stabilzed at hypersonic velocities'. Conventional mechanical turbojet and turbofan engines begins to fail in the Mach 3 range. To accelerate faster than this requires rocket engines. In fact, you can't even start a scramjet engine below about Mach 4. So this explains why almost all hyper-sonic testing done to date involves multi-stage vehicles. At these velocities aerodynamic drag and heating are serious challenges.

It is also important to understand what "hypersonic" means in context. Mankind has long been able to exceed hypersonic velocities. Nothing new there; we've been doing it since the '60's. We do it every time we go into, and return from, space. The difference with a "hypersonic" vehicle is, it never leaves the atmosphere...it can't. So, there's two ways to do this, accelerate to hypersonic velocities within the atmosphere, OR accelerate beyond hypersonic velocities outside the atmosphere, and then return into the atmosphere. This latter example is what happens during orbital reentry. So, the big difference is maintaining hypersonic flight velocities within the atmosphere, and this is where the challenges lie.

One other thing about "hypersonic" travel. There are actually two (2) different classifications of "hypersonic". There is "Hypersonic" and there is also "High Hypersonic". Hypersonic covers velocities between Mach 5 and Mach 10, and High Hypersonic covers velocities between Mach 10 and Mach 25. Above Mach 25 is "Orbital / Reentry" velocity. Most of the powered hypersonic research is being conducted in the lower of these two ranges and to the best of my knowledge all of it is using either scramjet or combination ramjet-scramjet type propulsion. There has been some technology demonstrators in the high-hypersonic ranges, but these are generally unpowered 'glide' vehicles.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

I wonder how they stabilized the detonation process?

Obviously, something to do with timing.

End of the day the technology will come to fruition at some point.

But i imagine there are still a few hurdles to overcome especially where the likes of heat mitigation and material science are concerned.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Not to digress but....why do we dwell on mechanical "propulsion" to fling us thru space?
Once we rid the need for fuel...it will be NO engine and fuel and propulsion....ir will be magnetics...PULLING US in a flash to whatever dialed in location.

Orbs we see that shoot up and away in an instant? I say it implies instantaneous magnetic "draws".

We need to get away from thinking ships and fuel. It's gonna be re-pulsive and reverse draw from the magnetism of the desired location.

a reply to: Justoneman

Don’t believe everything you read. The US being behind in hypersonics is the new bomber gap. There are a number of pretty serious qualifications when it comes to operational hypersonic systems, as well as defending against them.

Cool.

So it is basically an improved Pulse engine......from the 1940s German technology....well Euro technology.

Excellent.


Now, can they tell us what powers the Triangles, the Discs, the Cigar vehicles etc, that they make, that 1000s of people have seen flying around.

That would be nicer.

a reply to: gort69

Accept that the pulsejet engines from the likes of the V1 propelled them forward at around 340 mph.

This technology is geared towards producing vehicles that will travel in excess of five times the speed of sound(Mach 5).

As to the propulsion method speculated regarding the alleged UFO.

Think thats theorised to be something along the lines of coming from highly pressurized mercury accelerated by nuclear energy aka a magnetohydrodynamic drive or something similar.

It looks like they have a prof of concept for a hypersonic ramjet detonation engine. They don't come out and say combustion is detonation, rather than deflagration, but they sort of explain the combustion is not deflagration. It's quite impressive. Chances are a similar proof of concept was done, but remains classified.
One problem, hydrogen is a crappy aviation fuel because it is so light. It sort of has to be liquified, but then it is so cold, much colder than liquid nitrogen for instance.
reply to: worldstarcountry

a reply to: martaegalt

Safety concerns would also include its flammability and potential for leaks down to its small molecular size.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I noticed you asked about scramjets, and according to the article from '21, this was precisely the purpose of this grant. There is also more technical explanation to some other questions posed in reply as well. From the got a boost link in the op:

The UCF project will explore high flammability and high energy-density solid fuels for ramjets and scramjets, both of which are engines designed for hypersonic propulsion. It will be led by Kareem Ahmed, an associate professor in UCF’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and an expert in hypersonic propulsion engineering. The project has also been boosted with additional funding from UCF’s recently announced Jump Start awards which invests in the UCF Ultra-High-Speed Flow Facility for Hypersonics and Space Propulsion.

The work is important because solid-fuel rocket systems are four to five times more fuel efficient than liquid-propellant systems, meaning they can go farther for less cost, and are safer to store.

The problem has been that solid fuel systems face significant challenges in low pressure conditions that occur at high altitudes, such as unstable flames, blowouts and adverse reaction flows, which reduce engine stability, Ahmed says.

To overcome this, Ahmed’s team will perform experiments to create new, advanced solid fuels that use outside air to help drive supersonic combustion in a scramjet, known as airbreathing propulsion, rather than carrying its own oxygen supply that’s mixed into the system like what’s used in rocket propellants.

“The novel solid fuels will provide wider flammability limits and longer range while constraining volume and improving thermal and mechanical properties,” Ahmed says.

Solid fuel compositions, such as aluminum-lithium based fuels, and advanced manufacturing techniques like field assisted sintering technology that can achieve new compositions not previously obtained, will be explored to identify blend optimization for high altitude, hypersonic propulsion.

The high-speed, low pressure, solid-fuel reactions will be tested in UCF’s unique hypersonic high-enthalpy reaction, or HyperREACT, facility to allow the detailed exploration of the reacting flame-flow dynamics in extreme, previously inaccessible regimes using high-speed, high-resolution advanced laser diagnostics.

I am not sure I can properly articulate my excitement for me being alive to witness these technologies unfold. And I am still young enough to probably see real fusion before I pass to the next journey.

a reply to: mysterioustranger
Woah man, take it easy, a few steps at a time. We can travel to any planet we want with proper meditation and a strict sense of service to the Creator. One need only a very focused and disciplined mind and a sincere heart.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

I have done T.M every day since 1968.( Mostly)

Astrally projecting as well? In common to your point.

God bless

a reply to: mysterioustranger
May you be blessed in your travels as well my friend

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Thanks, you as well. I've learned so much...traveled tha astral plane to many places, past, future, lived lives, unknowns,deceased relatives.

After 50+ yrs...it truly reflects the essence of the soul. Quite busy thru out eternity that soul is!😉

a reply to: worldstarcountry
Maybe they made an advance in ignition, but how do they stop the hypersonic vehicle from burning up or melting as it gets closer to the ground?

This video explores issues like that with hypersonic missiles to explain the old joke:
"Hypersonic is the technology of the future and will always be"

The Hypersonic Missile Vulnerability That NO ONE Talks About

At about 10 minutes the video gets into the hypersonic missile technical issues such as the plasma sheath that covers the missile causing:
-Communication blackout (like the space shuttle experienced during re-entry)
-"blindness"- the plasma sheath would destroy any sensors placed on the front of the missile so it can't see where it's going
-Heat: Mach 5 results in temperatures from 3200-4000F in the lower atmosphere, so how do you prevent melting? Video claims the Space-shuttle tiles used for re-entry create too many aerodynamic problems if used on hypersonic missiles.

The video says maybe there's some classified tech to stop the hypersonic missile from melting during the terminal phase as it approaches the target, but, probably not, so what they actually end up doing is reducing their velocity below hypersonic (maybe to only mach 3) instead of the hypersonic flight at higher altitudes which would be mach 5 or greater.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Justoneman

Don’t believe everything you read. The US being behind in hypersonics is the new bomber gap. There are a number of pretty serious qualifications when it comes to operational hypersonic systems, as well as defending against them.

Putin claimed his hypersonic Kinzhal missile was invincible, so some people were surprised when Ukraine was able to shoot down a Kinzhal using a 40-year old patriot system with some software upgrades:

Ukraine downed a hypersonic missile with a Patriot.

New software can can improve older systems, Lockheed CEO James Taiclet said, citing the Patriot missiles recently sent to Ukraine. In May, Ukrainian forces shocked the world when they used the Patriot—invented in the 1970s, upgraded many times since—to down a Russian hypersonic Kinzhal, a missile Putin had touted as “invincible”.

The video says if the Kinzhal is "hypersonic" then so was the German V2 from the 1940s, since both were hypersonic at high altitudes but below hypersonic during terminal phase, so it makes us think about what is really meant by "hypersonic". It's mach 5 or above, but at what altitudes?

So if flying at hypersonic velocity at low altitudes makes the missile burn up like a meteorite, are there really any true hypersonic missiles? Or is the "hypersonic" claim of Russia's Kinzhal just propaganda, if it's no more hypersonic than the 1940s Gernam V2 rocket?

a reply to: Arbitrageur

ok cool. In any case, this was about stabilizing the engine for better efficiency and thusly safety. But its good to know we are right on the heels of our adversaries with hypersonic stuff.