System Design And Performance Simulation Of The Air-breathing Solar Thermal Propulsion

Air-breathing solar thermal propulsion is a new space propulsion technology based on air-breathing propulsion and solar thermal propulsion.The propulsion system operates in the orbit of which height is 130 km above the ground.The compressed air becomes high-temperature gas stream through the gathered sunlight.The high-temperature gas can generate thrust by nozzle.Because of the little atmospheric drag,the thruster can operate on orbit by thrust generated by the compressed air.If the thruster appended a little additional propellant,it would enhance the thrust,enlarge flying ranges and improve the motor ability.First of all,this paper introduced the heat transfer mechanism of the propulsion system and the optical path system is designed.The optical path system used a line which include primary solar concentrator?reflector?two refractive concentrator.The dimensions of the modular and the geometric concentrating ratio and the gas gathering system and thruster have been calculated.This paper analyzed the modes of heat transfer in the heat transfer plate.Atmosphere has been divided through the Knudsen Number.The coefficient of drag in different region has been calculated.According to simplified atmosphere,the density of atmosphere was obtained in different area.This paper has calculated the wind resistance on unit area in the 130 km altitude.The structure design of gas gathering system and thruster is accomplished.The modes of thruster assembly are built and numerical simulations are made.The simulation result shows,compared with another air inlet in air inflow,density and another factors,the air inlet about expanding type is better than the other one.So the expanding type has been chosen as the thruster air inlet.Supplement propellant has been added into spreading tube which decreases the temperature and velocity of flow decreasing while increases the density of the flow.This will make the foundation for heat convection.Temperature distribution on the thruster has been analyzed.The result shows that the temperature can't damage structure of the thruster.The heat transfer plates have well heat exchange efficiency.Plates improve the temperature about the mixed industry to the plates' surface temperature.High temperature flow's velocity increased after getting across the nozzle then the flow generate thrust to getting over the wind resistance.