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We launched full scale experimental vehicles with variable-flow ducted rocket engine to
demonstrate its performance in various flight conditions. Observed transition time from burnout
of an integral rocket booster to onset of ramjet combustion were satisfactorily short. Stable
ramjet combustion in various angle of attack and sideslip angle, and thrust control capability of
the engine were successfully demonstrated. Flight control of the vehicles, that have axially
asymmetric configuration, via path angle and acceleration was demonstrated, as well.
Nomenclature
Pc
Pt0
Pmax
pr
d
=
=
=
=
=
I. Introduction
UCTED rocket engine (DRE) is one of the promising ramjet propulsion systems for the next generation missiles
because DRE enables supersonic flight with higher specific impulse than conventional solid rocket motors. One of
the major technical difficulties of DRE is sensitivity of stable ramjet combustion to incoming air mass flow through
inlets, which is affected by flight conditions such as altitude, velocity, incident angle to inlets, and so on. To overcome this
problem, Variable Flow Ducted Rocket Engine (VFDRE) was proposed and has been investigated by various researchers.
Among others, TRDI also has been investigating the VFDRE from 1990s. Though we have conducted numerous wind
tunnel tests [1] and RAMJET tests [2], it is essential to obtain the aerodynamic stability of the vehicle and the combustion
stability of the ram burner in actual flight to demonstrate the feasibility of VFDRE. This report provides results of ground
launch test of the VFDRE experimental vehicle. Figure 1 shows an experimental vehicle accelerated by an auxiliary
booster.
Research Engineer, Air Systems Research Center, 1-2-10 Sakae-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8533, JAPAN.
Chief, Gifu Test Center, Naka, Kakamigahara, Gifu 504-0000, JAPAN.
3
Deputy Head, Department of Guided Weapon Systems Development, 5-1 Ichigayahommura-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo
162-8830, JAPAN.
4
Director, Advanced Defense Technology Center, 1-2-24 Ikejiri, Setagaya, Tokyo 154-0001, JAPAN.
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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
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Copyright 2009 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.
entire booster propellant because the experimental vehicle was designed mainly for air launched missile. To solve the
problem, an auxiliary booster with fixed fins was used.
Glycidyl Azide Polymer (GAP), major ingredient of the gas generator propellant, is a self-decomposing material. The
decomposition process of GAP is maintained by heat generated by N3 decomposition in the molecular structure, so that no
additional oxygen is required. The fuel gas generated is mixed with air in ram combustor and start to burn spontaneously.
One of key challenges in this project was to ensure ignition and sustain of ramjet combustion. To achieve this
objective, the fuel flow rate had to be adjusted according to the inlet air flow. In our engine, the heat-resistant rotating fuel
control valve was inserted between gas generator and ram combustor, and was critically controlled to adjust the fuel flow
rate. This ground launch test was also scheduled to verify the control sequence of the fuel control valve.
As mentioned above, ramjet combustor performance is influenced by incoming air flow conditions. To evaluate
stability of ramjet combustor, we used inlet margin (IM), which is the margin between pressure recovered by the inlets and
total pressure in ram combustor, and it characterizes available capacity of inlet air flow. Figure 3 shows the definition of
IM. The experimental VFDRE vehicle was designed to work optimally when IM over 10% is maintained. In order to
maintain the designed IM, angle of attack and sideslip angle were limited within -5~+5 degree in our experimental vehicle.
In some cases, however, we had to exceed over this limit on purpose in order to observe phenomena in the transient fuel
flow change.
Figure 8 and figure 9 show the ram combustion stability during the two flight patterns described previously.
Both of the flights included the turning maneuver to make variation of the angle of attack or side slip angle to
observe the influence on ram combustion stability. The variation of angle of attack or side slip angle caused by
maneuvers is shown in the top of the figures. The time histories of the angle of attack and sideslip angle are
approximately agreed with the predicted calculation under some disturbance (only shows the maximum and
minimum value). To confirm the continuation of ram combustion, estimated pressure without ram combustion is
also shown in bottom of the figures (described as Estimated Pressure (Unburned)). In the middle of the figure, IM
shows the inlets condition. If IM is more than 0%, the inlets act as super critical condition, that is to say the inlets
are in normal operating range. If IM is less than 0%, the inlets have no margin for incoming air called sub critical
condition. In this condition, ram combustion is said to be unstable and has the risk of extinguishment.
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In Figure 8, from 7.5 second to 19 second, the vehicle flew without maneuver, but as the fuel flow was controlled to
reduce after 15.3 second in order to investigate throttling capability of the experimental vehicle. Though the pressure
slightly decreased at the time, it remained stable through straight flight. As illustrated in figure 8, inlet margin was mostly
maintained value greater than 10% as planned until 19 seconds.
The pressure went down after 19 second because the inlet air flow decreased as the angle of attack was decreased to -8
degree, which is well below the optimum operation limit. At that time IM rapidly decreased and became negative, which
indicates inlets were operated at sub-critical condition. Ram combustion seemed to be sustained after 10G turn from 19
second, since the ram combustor pressure is higher than the estimated unburned value.
Figure 9 shows the 2nd flight data. In the 2nd flight, the vehicle rolls through 90 degrees during the ram combustion
phase, and then subsequent dive took place so as to investigate effect of sideslip maneuver.
All the time through the ram combustion phase, sideslip angle was controlled within 5 degree designed limit. IM was
kept positive through the ram combustion phase and ram combustor pressure was well above the value, which is estimated
pressure without ram combustion. Thus, stable operation with rolling and turning maneuvers was demonstrated.
C. Thrust Controllability
Gas generator chamber pressure, rotation angle of fuel control valve, fuel mass flow rate and acceleration during the
2nd flight are shown in figure 10. The gas generator chamber pressure is increased as the valve rotation angle decreased
(i.e., closed), and then the fuel flow rate into the ram combustor is increased. As a result, the acceleration in body axis
direction (Xb), i.e., thrust, is also increased.
D. Airframe Control
Flight path angle and acceleration are shown in figure 11. During straight flight, the airframe attitude was controlled
by flight path angle. When the vehicle turned, the airframe was controlled by acceleration. As shown in the figure, the
flight path angle agreed well with the prediction. Thus the angular variation was controlled as planned during the ram
combustion phase by controlling the flight path angle. The acceleration in Zb axis also agreed with the prediction. These
results show that the attitude control worked well to keep the asymmetrical body stable as well as to maintain the positions
of inlets against the air flow within the optimal position during flight.
V. Conclusions
The conclusions of this paper are as follows:
(1) Short transition time from the burnout of the integral booster to the onset of the ram combustion, below the design
objective 0.25 seconds in flight, was achieved.
(2) Stable ram combustion of the VFDRE experimental vehicle during maneuver such as varied angle of attack, sideslip
angle and roll angle was demonstrated.
(3) Thrust controllability of the VFDRE experimental vehicle was also demonstrated.
(4) The attitude control system of the VFDRE experimental vehicle worked well to keep the asymmetrical body stable, as
well as maintain the positions of inlets against the air flow within the optimal angle during flight.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Aerospace Company for their help in development
of this VFDRE experimental vehicle.
References
1
Nakayama, H., Full-scale Firing Tests of Variable Flow Ducted Rocket Engines employing GAP Solid Fuel
Gas Generator, AIAA Paper 2009-5121, 2009.
2
Tokunaga, H., Development of Wide-Range Supersonic Intake for Variable Flow Ducted Rocket Engine,
AIAA Paper 2009-5223, 2009.
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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
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Auxiliary Booster
Combustion Unit
Ram Combustor
(filled with IRB propellant)
Fuel Control Valve
Gas Generator Chamber
Control Fins
Fore-Body
Shroud
Inlet
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Inlet Margin
IM
pr
d
=
=
=
=
100
P
Pc
Pt0
P
InletsConditions
IM 0SuperCritical
IM 0Critical
IM 0SubCritical
Patrol Helicopter
Experimental
Vehicle
Camera
Tracking
Radar
Launch Pad
Patrol Boats
Control Place
Search Radar
Figure 4: Schematic view of the launch test
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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
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Influence of Sliver
Transition Time
Pmax
Pmax
10% of Pmax
Onset of Ram Combustion
Time
Ignition of Gas Generator
:Fuel gas starts to flow into the combustor
Transition Time
0.15
Pmax
Pmax
10% of Pmax
0
IRB Nozzle Status (Separation)
7.2
7.4
7.6
7.8
Time [s]
Figure 7: Transition time during the 2nd flight
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8.0
Nose Up
Angle of Attack
Predicted
(with Disturbance)
10
5
10G Turn
0
Maximum
-5
-10
Minimum
-15
Nose Down
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
-5
-10
Inlet Margin
Test Data
Estimated Pressure
(Unburned)
10
15
20
25
30
Time [s]
Figure 8: Ram combustor pressure stability during the 1st flight
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Nose Left
10
Rolls through 90
Maximum
-5
-10
Minimum
-15
Nose Right
50
Inlet Margin [%]
Inlet Margin
40
30
20
10
Test Data
Estimated Pressure
(Unburned)
10
15
20
Time[s]
25
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35
Valve Rotation
Angle [deg.]
15
10
5
0
60
40
20
0
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0
Acceleration
2
in Body Axis [m/s ]
20
0
-20
-40
10
15
Time [s]
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20
Ascent
40
20
0
-20
Predicted
(with Disturbance)
Maximum
Minimum
Nominal
-40
-60
-80
Descent
Acceleration
2
in Zb Axis [m/s ]
200
Controlled by Acceleration Rate
in Body Axis
150
Acceleration in Zb Axis
Nominal
Command
100
50
0
-50
10
15
20
Time [s]
25
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30
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