Recent advances in convectively cooled engine and airframe structures for hypersonic flight

Research over the past decade has identified critical thermal/structural design problems and has produced viable design concepts for a second generation experimental scramjet. The design concepts for the hydrogen fuel-cooled engine structure involve a variety of innovative features to accommodate the harsh aerothermal environment encountered within the engine. The baseline concept which has evolved has reasonable mass characteristics, and cooling requirements which permit engine operation to Mach 9-10 without additional hydrogen for engine cooling. Studies have identified fabrication techniques and coolant passage configurations that increase fatigue life of the structure an order of magnitude over previous configurations.