Advanced Propulsion For Tactical Missiles

NDIA Conference on Armaments for the Army Transformation June 2001

Mike Lyon, Acting Director Propulsion and Structures Directorate AMCOM

User Requirements
Low operating and support costs Controllability Advanced materials Minimum signature High energy Insensitivity Aviation Minimal toxicity Long life High reliability

Propulsion Cycles
Boost/sustain solid Single pulse solid Air turborocket Air-aug rocket Ducted rocket Hybrid rocket Liquid ramjet Liquid rocket Solid ramjet Propulsion characteristics Missile requirements

Pintle solid

Pulse solid

Gel rocket

Turbojet

High energy Low cost Min signature High impulse / weight High volumetric loading Long service life Insensitive Controllable Long range High Vbo Endgame capability Highly maneuverable Best suited Partially suited Ill-suited

Pulsejet

Advantages of Controlled Thrust Propulsion Systems

Low Velocity Long TOF High Velocity Short TOF Search

High g End Game

Terminal Boost

LOB L

LOA L

Short Range

Long Range

Approach

Air Turbo Rockets Army Propulsion Throttleable Solids

Gels

Turbojets

Variable-area Nozzles

20:1 turn down Up to 12 diameter Axial and off-axis actuation CFD modeling of pintle shapes Evaluation of pintle materials

Variable Thrust Motor Static Firing Test #1

VTM Test # 2 Results Thrust and Pintle Position

1600 1400 1200
Boost
Measured Thrust Measured Position Calculated Thrust Calculated Position

0.8 0.7

1000 800 600

0.5 0.4 0.3

Turndown Ratio of 14:1

400
Sustain

0.2 0.1 0.0 30

200 0

10

15

20

25

Time (sec)

Pintle Position (in.)

0.6

Thrust (lbf)

Pintle Controlled Solid Technology

Pressure vs. Time
2000
l l

Controllable, variable thrust propulsion Tactical boost/sustain/coast profile with high thrust turndown ratio Ability of pintle to control pressure and thrust within 2% of desired value Motor response times acceptable for tactical applications AMCOM-developed AN minimum smoke propellant
Pintle Propellant Burn Rate
1

1500 Pressure,psi

1000

500

0 0 5 10 Time, sec 15 20

Non-Axial Heavywall Hardware 6 Inch Diameter Motor

Mix 1-1 Mix1-2 Mix1A-1 Mix1A-2 Regression Lines

n=0.75

Burn Rate, in/sec

0.1

1000

Pressure, psi

Self-healing

Properties

Axial Pintle Motor Performance

2000 4

Pressure Predicted Position

1500 3

1000

500

0 0 5 10 15

Time, seconds

Pintle Position

Pressure, psi

Gel bi-propulsion systems

have controlled thrust

Minimize time to target ; Maximize range Provide a variety of thrust profiles to perform multiple missions; end-game enhancements Demonstrated ruggedness by withstanding two hard landings with no evidence of leaks

are rugged and reliable

are survivable
Have plumes with minimum signature exhaust Meet Insensitive Munitions requirements Have gel propellants that:
Are immobilized at ambient conditions Have greatly reduced vapor pressure

FMTI Gel Propulsion System

Gas generator, pressure control

Key Features Fits in TOW envelope w/greater than 2X TOW range

Coaxial tank

Retains short time-of-flight for close-in targets On-demand, unlimited duty cycle, multi-pulse motor for velocity control Central conduit for missile fore-aft cabling and wave guide Can easily be sized for other missile systems (Common Missile, Modernized Hellfire, etc.)

Fore-aft conduit

Bipropellant engine

The AMCOM Impinging Stream Vortex Engine (ISVE)

The ISVE was developed in AMCOM. The original patent was awarded in 1968 while the modern concept (shown here) was patented in 1997 by AMCOM and is currently undergoing test/evaluation in the Propulsion/Structures Directorate at AMRDEC (Redstone). Fuel and oxidizer are injected through pairs of injector holes placed along the chamber wall. Within a pair, these holes are slanted toward each other (the fuel/oxidizer streams impinge) and azimuthally so that vortical mixing is induced along the chamber wall. Impingement angles are set such that the vertical component of the stream momentum vector is zero. The wall is transpiration cooled by the flow. This mixing has been shown to be beneficial for liquid and gelled propellants.

PRESSURE TAPS

COMB. CHAMBER

INJECTOR PAIR

NOZZLE

Benefits: Simple design allows for low cost hardware. For length constrained systems, small L/D for the combustion chamber means more engine length for flow expansion. Stream impingement enhances atomization of gel propellant.

ATR General Description

Utilizes a compressor and turbine, similar to a turbojet or turbofan Also utilizes a secondary combustor much like a ramjet or ducted rocket The turbine and compressor are linked by a mechanical drive shaft
turbine power from the gas generator fuel effluent drives the compressor

Typical ATR Scheme

Turbine drive gas:

Independent of compressor airflow May be generated by a hot gas source
a liquid or solid propellant gas generator

Utilized as the primary fuel source

Air Breathing Turbo-Rocket

Independent Drive for Turbine Gives Higher Speed and Altitude Capability Static Thrust Allows Low Speed Takeoff Deep Throttleability Allows Loiter Capability Combined With High Speed Intercept Fits Directly Between Turbojets And Rockets Without Extreme Technology Challenges

ATR Cycle Advantages

Maximum speed superior to either a turbojet or turbofan Compressor inlet temperature is the limiting component parameter in an ATR
The compressor inlet temperature determines the maximum flight speed for any given altitude No rotating hardware in the hot section

The ATR does not require a separate booster

Easily operates at low flight speeds at which a ramjet or ducted rocket cannot operate Performs well at sea level static conditions High thrust per frontal area High turn down ratio --- >10:1

ATR Design Challenges

Most existing solid propellant gas generators are not optimized for use in an ATR A suitable gas generator effluent must be:
An effective secondary combustor fuel
Should maximize residual heating value Retain excellent combustion properties

An efficient turbine drive gas should have low molecular weight

ATR secondary combustion chamber design is critical

To maximize the operational performance of the cycle requires:
Short residence time Must combust a potentially fuel rich equivalence ratio Operate at low combustion pressures

DARPA/AMCOM Key Sponsors Of Small Engine Development

Year Engine
1985 1989 1990 1994 1996 1996 1997 1999 1999 2000 TJ-20 TJ-90 TJ-50 TJ-50-1 TJ-50-3 TJ-50-10 TJ-65 TJ-50-11 TJ-50M-1 TJ-30

Thrust
40 - 70 lb 105 lb 50 lb 50 lb 50 lb 57 lb 80 lb 52 lb 120 lb 30 lb

Program
US Army MICOM MIG-29 Target

Flight Test
4

US Army MICOM FOG-M Risk Reduction DARPA SENGAP Four Inch Engine DARPA/Northrop MALD POC Teledyne Ryan MALD POC DARPA/Ryan MALD ACTD DARPA Advanced Material Partnership US Army AMCOM PKAT Missile DARPA/Ryan MALI ATD DARPA NetFires 4 4 4 4 4

Technology Goals and Tasks

Advantages of Airbreathing Propulsion
Propulsion flexibility and multi-mission capability Supports AMCOM missile systems Very low fuel consumption Benefits from advanced sensor and system technologies low cost expendable ( <15 minutes operation) minimum of parts and hardware microprocessor based components

Target goals

Expendable Turbojet/Turbofan Performance Comparison

1400 Turbojets 1200
HS TJ180 TCAE 373

Thrust/Fontal Area (lbf/ft^2)

Turbofans

1000 800 600

MALD TJ-50 TCAE 312 MALI TJ-50M WI F107 TCAE J402 ALLISON 150

400
WI WR24-8

TREND

200 0 10

SWB-3 SWB-4 WI F121

NPT 171

100

1000

Thrust Fn (lbf)

Allison 150 Fore & Aft

View into Compressor

Quad Exhaust View

Small 4.0 Inch Turbojet

Sunstrand TJ-50 Successfully flown in flight tests 50 lbs thrust, <10 lbs weight Simple design, no exotic materials Engine Speed: 135,000 RPM

Key Technologies For Small Turbojets/Turbofans

Very Small Combustors
Much higher heat loading than larger engines Altitude starting

Small Diameter Compressors

High efficiency aerodynamics in small sizes Mixed flow for small diameter

High Speed Bearings

>130,000 RPM

Availability of these technologies has given great improvement in the major vehicle parameter THRUST PER UNIT FRONTAL AREA

Technology Path
1400

1200

Future

Thrust/Fontal Area (lbf/ft^2)

1000

800

Current
600 400 200

Old Technology

0 10 100 1000

Thrust Fn (lbf)

Summary

Air Turbo Rockets Armys propulsion program Throttleable Solids

Gels

Turbojets

End products

Smarter Smaller Lighter More Lethal More Autonomous AFFORDABLE