火箭设计- BlackLight火箭推动器

THE BLACKLIGHT ROCKET ENGINE A Phase I Study Funded by the NIAC CP 01-02 Advanced Aeronautical/Space Concept Studies Program Phase I Final Report Anthony J. Marchese, Ph. D. Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Peter Jansson, Ph. D., P.E. Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering John L. Schmalzel, Ph.D., P.E. Professor and Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering College of Engineering Rowan University 201 Mullica Hill Rd. Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701 http://engineering.rowan.edu/~marchese Fiber Optic Probe Evenson Cavity Nozzle Throat The BlackLight Rocket Engine page -2 NIAC Phase I Final Report (May 1 – November 30, 2002) TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................3 1. Objectives Of The Study.............................................................................................................5 2. Project Personnel........................................................................................................................6 3. Background..................................................................................................................................7 3.1 Expected Significance................................................................................................7 3.2 Relation To The Present State Of Knowledge .........................................................8 3.3 Relation To Previous Work Done On The Subject ....................................................9 4. The Blacklight Rocket (BLR) Engine: Theoretical Description.............................................13 5. Conceptual Design Of A Blacklight Thruster ........................................................................14 6. Experimental Approach...........................................................................................................15 7. Hardware Development: Blacklight Plasma Thruster (BLPT) ..............................................17 8. Hardware Development: Black Light Microwave Plasma Thruster (BLMPT) ...................21 9. Experimental Evaluation Of Blacklight Process ....................................................................22 9.1 Thermal Characterization Of Ne/H2 Glow Discharge Gas Cell ..........................22 9.2 Unique Hydrogen Line Broadening In Low Pressure Microwave Water Plasmas ...............................................................................................................................25 9.3 Inversion Of Line Intensities In Hydrogen Balmer Series ........................................27 9.4 Novel Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV) Vibration Spectra Of Hydrogen Mixture Plasmas ...............................................................................................................................27 9.5 Water Bath Calorimetry Experiments Showing Increased Heat Generation ...28 10. BLPT And BLMPT Proof Of Concept Test Firing....................................................................31 10.1 Experimental Apparatus And Vacuum Chamber ..............................................31 10.2 Test Firing Of BLPT Thruster........................................................................................32 10.3 Test Firing Of BLMPT Thruster ....................................................................................33 11. Conclusions And Future Work ...............................................................................................36 Budget Expenditures.....................................................................................................................37 Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................................37 References......................................................................................................................................38 The BlackLight Rocket Engine page -3 NIAC Phase I Final Report (May 1 – November 30, 2002) Executive Summary This report summarizes the final project results for the period of May 1, 2002 through November 30, 2002 for the NIAC CP 01-02 Phase I study, "The BlackLight Rocket Engine". The objective of the Phase I study was to assess the potential of low pressure, mixed gas hydrogen plasmas (i.e. the BlackLight Process) toward the development of high performance space propulsion systems. Motivation During the past decade, several research groups have begun to report unique spectroscopic results for mixed gas plasma systems in which one of the species present was hydrogen gas. In these experiments, researchers have reported excessive line broadening of H emission lines and peculiar non-Boltzmann population of excited states. The hydrogen line broadening in most of these studies was attributed to Doppler broadening associated with high random translational velocity of H atoms (i.e. “fast hydrogen”). Recent data have been published by scientists at BlackLight Power reporting similar phenomena that suggests the presence of a newly identified regime of energetic mixed gas hydrogen plasma systems. Specifically, the following phenomena have been reported: ƒ Preferential Doppler line broadening of atomic hydrogen emission spectra, ƒ Inverted populations of hydrogen Balmer series in microwave hydrogen gas mixture plasmas, ƒ Novel vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) vibration spectra of hydrogen mixture plasmas, and ƒ Water bath calorimetry experiments showing increased heat generation in certain gas mixtures. Scientists at BlackLight Power, Inc. have explained the above phenomena based on a hypothesis that, under certain conditions, hydrogen atoms can undergo transitions to energy levels corresponding to fractional principal quantum numbers. However, since the theoretical explanation of the BlackLight Process has entailed a reworking of quantum mechanics, the theory has not been readily accepted in the scientific community. Regardless of the theoretical explanation, the experimental data suggests that these plasma systems have unique characteristics that warrant further exploration for propulsion applications. Accordingly, the objective of the present NIAC Phase I study was to assess the potential of low pressure, mixed gas hydrogen plasmas toward the development of high performance space propulsion systems. Prior to the present study, no attempt had been made to apply this type of plasma system toward the development of a rocket thruster. Preliminary calculations suggest that such a thruster could achieve performance several orders of magnitude greater than chemical rocket propulsion. Results of the Phase I Study During the period of May 1, 2002 to November 30, 2002, the following progress was made on the project: ƒ Conceptual designs for two separate proof-of-concept thrusters were completed. ƒ Configuration designs for thruster hardware were developed using SolidWorks 3D solids modeling. • A BlackLight Plasma Thruster (BLPT) was fabricated. • A BlackLight Microwave Plasma Thruster (BLMPT) was fabricated. The BlackLight Rocket Engine page -4 NIAC Phase I Final Report (May 1 – November 30, 2002) • An experimental vacuum test chamber apparatus was developed for testing the BLPT and BLMPT thrusters. • A spectroscopic technique was developed for measuring thruster exhaust velocity using a Doppler shift of hydrogen emission spectra. • A 1 kW class arcjet thruster and power supply was obtained from NASA Glenn Research Center to benchmark Doppler shift velocity measurement technique. • Experiments on the BlackLight process were performed including: o Thermal characterization of a compound hollow cathode glow discharge apparatus, o Hydrogen line broadening measurements in low pressure microwave water plasmas, o Measurements of inversion of line intensities in hydrogen Balmer series, o Measurements of novel vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) vibration spectra of hydrogen mixture plasma, and o Water bath calorimetry experiments. ƒ The BLPT and BLMPT were installed into vacuum systems and successfully test fired. ƒ Preliminary experiments were performed to measure emission spectra of the exhaust gases of the BLMPT thruster. Each of these accomplishments is described in detail in this report. The BlackLight Rocket Engine page -5 NIAC Phase I Final Report (May 1 – November 30, 2002) 1. Objectives of the Study The goal of the Phase 1 study was to explore the feasibility of utilizing low pressure mixed gas hydrogen plasmas (i.e. the BlackLight process) to develop a new generation of space propulsion systems that might one day power interplanetary (or perhaps even interstellar) manned spacecraft. As described in the original project proposal, preliminary calculations suggested that ultra high specific impulse rocket engines might be realized by applying the BlackLight Process toward the design of a propulsion system. If realized, the BlackLight Rocket (BLR) engine would represent a revolutionary increment in performance over today’s chemical propulsion systems. Previously reported data by BlackLight Power, Inc. had reported extremely high values of energy release in dilute hydrogen gas systems. However, prior to the present study no attempt had been made to apply this new energy source toward the development of a rocket engine. The original Phase I proposal described objectives that included development of a theoretical model, identification of potential space mission applications, and development of a bench scale BLR engine and thrust stand. Based on comments of the proposal reviewers and consultation with BlackLight Power scientists and engineers, the objectives for Phase I were refined as follows: ƒ Perform experiments to evaluate previously published data on energetic mixed gas H2 plasmas. ƒ Develop bench scale proof-of-concept BlackLight Plasma Thruster (BLPT) and BlackLight Microwave Plasma Thruster (BLMPT) hardware. ƒ Develop experimental apparatus for measuring specific impulse (Isp) and overall thruster efficiency (η). ƒ Measure specific impulse (Isp) and overall thruster efficiency (η) when operating the BLPT and/or BLMPT thrusters. The fourth objective above represents a quantitative assessment of the BlackLight Process as a power source for potential thruster applications. The first quantitative parameter of interest is specific impulse: o e SP g v w F ≈= &I The specific impulse is defined as the thrust per unit propellant flow rate, which is roughly equal to the exhaust velocity, ve , divided by the gravitational constant go as shown in the equation above. Since the first generation BLP thruster will require an electrical input source, a second parameter called thruster efficiency is also of interest. The thruster efficiency is defined as the kinetic energy of the exhaust gas per electrical energy input to the thruster according to the following equation: elec 2 e W vm 2 1 & & =η where m& is the measured mass flow rate, ve the exhaust velocity and the measured electrical input power to the device. Each of the quantitative parameters require accurate measurement of the exhaust velocity. elecW& The BlackLight Rocket Engine page -6 NIAC Phase I Final Report (May 1 – November 30, 2002) 2. Project Personnel A strong project team of Rowan University faculty and students was assembled during the Phase I study. The project team and their overall responsibilities are described in the following table. Team Member Qualifications Project Responsibility Anthony J. Marchese Ph.D. Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Principal Investigator, theory, experiments, management of project Peter Jansson Ph.D. Electrical Engineering BlackLiqht Process measurements and optimization John L. Schmalzel Ph.D. Electrical Engineering Instrumentation and spectroscopic measurements of exhaust velocity Charles Linderman Machinist Fabrication of BLPT hardware Mike Resciniti, ‘02 B.S. Mechanical Engineering (graduate student) Design and development of BLPT thruster hardware Mike Muhlbaier, ‘04 Undergraduate, Electrical and Computer Engineering Spectroscopic measurements and vacuum system apparatus development Tom Smith, ‘03 Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering Design and development of BLMPT thruster hardware Jennifer Demetrio, ‘04 Undergraduate, Mechanical Engineering Design and development of BLMPT thruster hardware Kevin Garrison, ‘03 Undergraduate, Electrical and Computer Engineering Characterization of microwave Evenson cavity Brief biographical sketches of the Principal and Co-Investigators are included below: Anthony J. Marchese, Ph.D., Principal Investigator Principal Investigator Anthony Marchese is an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Rowan University. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University and B.S. and M.S. degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His research areas include chemically reacting flows, chemical kinetics, microgravity experiments, rocket propulsion, spacecraft fire safety, environmental issues and refrigeration. He is currently funded by NASA to study microgravity flame spread and by NJDOT to study diesel emission reduction strategies for school buses and heavy-duty diesel vehicles. In previous work with NASA, he was a member of the science team for the Droplet Combustion Experiment (DCE) conducted aboard Space Shuttle Columbia missions STS-83 and STS-94 in 1997. Marchese has been at Rowan since September 1996 and was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in September 2000. At Rowan, he teaches courses in rocket propulsion, combustion, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics and product design. He has previously held positions at United Technologies Research Center in East Hartford, CT and NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, OH. He is the holder of two United States Patents and is a member of Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Xi, Pi Tau Sigma, The Combustion Institute, AIAA, ASME and ASEE. In 2001 he was named a Carnegie Scholar by the Carnegie Foundation. The BlackLight Rocket Engine page -7 NIAC Phase I Final Report (May 1 – November 30, 2002) Peter M. Jansson, Ph.D., P.P., P.E. Co-Investigator Peter M. Jansson, joined the College of Engineering at Rowan University in January 2001. Jansson has recently completed his Ph.D. studies at the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England. He received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering with focus in environmental and systems engineering in 1978 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Jansson has over 24-years of management and research experience in energy, engineering and consulting businesses in the United States and abroad (Conectiv, Atlantic Energy, Atlantic Energy International, Consulting Engineer Services, MIT, University of Cambridge, National Science Foundation). His master’s thesis involved characterizing and measuring excess energy in catalytic hydrogen gas cell systems (Jansson, 1997) now referred to as the BlackLight Process (Mills, 2000). John L. Schmalzel, Ph. D., P.E., Co-Principal Investigator Co-Principal Investigator John L. Schmalzel received the B.S.E.E. (’73), M.S.E.E. (’77), and Ph.D. (’80) from Kansas State University. He served with the US Army as a Clinical Automation Officer (‘80-’84) before joining The University of Texas at San Antonio (‘84-’95) as an Assistant Professor. In 1995, he moved to Rowan University as the founding chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering program. His research interests involve instrumentation development spanning biomedical devices to nondestructive evaluation and aerospace technology. He has served on the editorial boards of IEEE Trans on I&M, and of the IEEE I&M and IEEE Micro Magazines and as the chair of the Automated Instruments Users Group (‘88-’90). He writes a quarterly column, A Measured Look, for the I&M Magazine. He was named a NASA Summer Faculty Fellow for three consecutive years (’98-’00). In this capacity, he was a resident at NASA Stennis Space Center where he developed a low-cost three-axis accelerometer system. Fall 2002 Undergraduate Research Team During the fall of 2002, a team of 4 senior-level undergraduate students worked closely with the the investigators to develop the experimental apparatus and assist in data acquisition. The undergraduate team performed their work (approximately 40 person-hours/week) within the innovative Rowan Engineering Clinic. The Engineering Clinic is a course that is taken each semester by every engineering student at Rowan University. In the Engineering Clinic, which is based on the medical school model, students and faculty from all four engineering departments work side-by-side on laboratory experiments, design projects, applied research and product development (Marchese, et al., 2002). Brief Description of the Institution The College of Engineering at Rowan University was created from a 1992 gift of $100 million from industrialist Henry M. Rowan. The College is composed of four departments: Chemical Engineering (ChE); Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE); Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE); and Mechanical Engineering (ME). Each of the four undergraduate programs received full accreditation from ABET in June 2001. With the allure of starting up a new engineering program, the College has attracted a world-class faculty with Ph.D. degrees from institutions such as Princeton, Stanford, M.I.T., Cambridge, Cornell, etc. The College is housed within the 95,000 SF, $28 million Henry M. Rowan Hall, which was completed in 1998. 3. Background 3.1 Expected Significance During the 40 plus year history of modern space flight, the overwhelming majority of both manned and unmanned spacecraft have relied on chemical energy for their main propulsion requirements. Chemical rocket propulsion systems are simple and offer a high thrust to weight ratio and have thus been reasonably effective in delivering payload from earth to low earth orbit (LEO). Chemical rocket propulsion has also been effective in delivering human space travelers The BlackLight Rocket Engine page -8 NIAC Phase I Final Report (May 1 – November 30, 2002) from LEO to lunar orbit. Unfortunately, the performance of a chemical rocket propulsion system is inherently limited by chemical thermodynamics and even the most exotic of stable chemical propellant combinations will yield performance only slightly higher than today’s H2/O2 rocket engines (Zurawski, 1986; Stwalley, et al., 1991). The low performance of chemical propulsion systems make them extremely unattractive as candidates for the long term manned exploration of the solar system and beyond. A manned Mars mission represents a typical example of the limitations of chemical rocket propulsion. Indeed, one of the chief hurdles that has prevented a manned Mars mission is the excessive amount of propellant mass that must be launched into LEO to assemble a Mars- bound spacecraft. For example, a high-energy “sprint” (400 day round-trip) mission using H2/O2 would require 1,760,000 kg to be launched into LEO. Based on the launch capability of the current Space Shuttle fleet, assembling such a spacecraft in LEO would require 70 to150 Space Shuttle launches (Palaszewski, 1990). Moreover, rocket propellants account for 75% of the total mass requirements. By incorporating In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), wherein propellants are manufa