IIT-Bombay's Nuclear Ramjet/Scramjet Research Concept

Future of Ramjet and Scramjet Engine with
options of using Nuclear Energy
Submitted By :-
Bhupendra Khandelwal
Project Engineer,
Aerospace Engineering Department,
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Powai, Mumbai, India - 76
Introduction
What is Ramjet Engine?
 Ramjets are simplest air breathing engines available.

They compress the air and expand it because of its
shape and movement through the air.
 Ramjet Engine does not require any moving parts like

compressors and turbines so it is very easy in
construction, any minute changes can be done very
easily.
Schematic of Ramjet
Source:Mattingly
Principle
 Propulsion engines work on Newton’s third law of motion.
 The action component is produced either by burning of

fuel or by addition of heat using nuclear energy and
expanding the hot gases, which produces the reaction
component, i.e., Thrust.
S
Components
Diffuser Fuel Injection System
Combustor & Flame Holder Nozzle

Working
Why Ramjet ?
 Simpler Design: Moving parts like compressors and
turbines are not required.
 Lower cost makes it an attractive propulsion device.
 Very High speeds can be achieved by these engines ( Upto

Mach8).
Speed range of Ramjet Engine
NUCLEAR RAMJET AND
SCRAMJET ENGINE
Why Nuclear Energy ?
 The velocity difference between the entrance and exit is

increased by heat addition to the air stream flowing through
its body.
 Chemical reactions caused by burning fuel in the combustion

chamber is standard method for heat addition in the ducted air
stream. But …
 Thus, I could use nuclear energy produced from nuclear

reactions - fission or fusion – using a nuclear reactor.
Components
The basic components

like diffuser, nozzle, etc.
remain same. However,
additional components
used in a nuclear ramjet
and scramjet engine will
be
 Reactor Core
 Radiation Shield
Heat Exchanger
The general concepts for this kind of propulsion device is
similar to those of the traditional liquid propulsion
systems. A propellant is heated in the rocket chamber,
thereby raising its stagnation enthalpy, and exhausted
through a converging-diverging nozzle to achieve
supersonic exit flow.
The NTR replaces the chemical combustion in a liquid

propulsion system with a nuclear reactor.
COMPARISON OF CHEMICAL AND NUCLEAR
FUEL
• The maximum practical velocity of a Oxygen and

Hydrogen engine is about 4,550 m/s, and so energy per
kilogram is, by substitution, 10.4 MJ/kg.
• For comparison the energy contained in 1 kg of pure
U-235 is 79.3*106 MJ
NOZZLE ASSEMBLY
The design of an appropriate nozzle for the NTR will not

differ significantly from their design for use on current
chemical systems. A traditional converging-diverging
nozzle can be used to accelerate the flow to supersonic
exit velocity.
Expansion ratio in chemical engines 80
Expansion ratio for Nuclear powered engines 300, so this
way thrust coefficient is much closer to theoretical
maximum, and this will contribute to an increase in
exhaust velocity.
REACTOR CORE SIZE
If pure U235 is available then it can become critical at a

diameter of 3.47 cm. The volume of this cylinder is
264cm3 , and mass is 4.95Kg. Pure U235 is unlikely to be
available, and a real reactor will use enriched uranium,
nevertheless containing 50-90% U235.
Therefore, the main issues in deciding on the reactor core

size are likely to be related to the availability of enriched
uranium, and engineering challenges, rather then energy
content.
RADIATION SHEILD
This necessitates the construction of an effective radiation
shield between the engine and the crew compartment.
For neutron attenuation, light materials such as lithium-
hydride can be used. For gamma-rays, however, a dense
material (such as tungsten) is required. The radiation
shield tends to be a major investment of mass and may
not be necessary in cargo type applications. Although
radiation shield are necessary between the propulsion
system and the crew compartment, a more significant
radiation problem is created by cosmic rays. Therefore,
even a chemical system will need to shield on missions of
any appreciable length.
HEAT EXCHANGER
Improved performance of the nuclear engine, in terms of

exhaust velocity is solely on raising the operating
temperature of the heat exchanger; there is more then
adequate power available, to generate useful thrust.
Heat from heat exchangers is carried away by propellant
(air). Graphite has relatively high thermal conductivity so
we can use graphite for manufacturing heat exchangers.
PRINCIPLE OF NTR(Nuclear Thermal Rocket)
USED YET
Few tests which had been done on the above principle.
NAME TEMP. POWER COMMENT
KIWI B4E 1,980K 937MW Operated for 8 min at full power
Phoebus 2A 2,310K 5,000MW Operated for 12 min, including restart.
PEEWEE 2,550K 503MW Small test reactor. Exhaust velocity

8,450m/s
NRX A2 1,100MW Exhaust velocity 7,600m/s
NRX A6 2,342K 1,100MW 60 min of operation at full power.

ROVER and NERVA Program Results
Both the ROVER and NERVA programs were technical
successes. The decision to terminate the programs in
1972 was made on the basis on public policy choices and
not on the merit of the technology.
The results of these programs were to demonstrate that
a nuclear thermal rocket engine could be developed to
meet the objectives of structural integrity, restart
capability, predictability, controllability, and reliability. At
the programs end, a NERVA-1 design was produced that
would have met the program objectives.
POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF NUCLEAR ENGINE
A chemical rocket, using liquid hydrogen and liquid

oxygen, gives 4.55km/s of exhaust velocity, requiring
10kg of propellant per kg of pay load. A nuclear engine
can give an exhaust velocity of 9km/s requiring 2.4kg of
propellant per 1kg of payload. An ion engine can produce
much high speeds(20km/s), but thrust developed by ion
engines is very less (fraction of Newton), while nuclear
engine can generate a thrust of hundreds of kilo-
Newtons.
PUBLIC POLICY
An area of particular concern for NTR development is the
shape of public policy. Certainly nuclear thermal
propulsion has technical challenges. Public policy,
however, is perhaps the greatest of the difficulties facing
efforts to deploy a NTR system.
1. To protect workers and the public against
"unreasonable" exposure to radiation and toxic
materials.
2.To protect the Earth and local space environment
against risk of "significant" alteration.
3. To protect the mission against nuclear system failure.
To respond to the most common fears of the public, NTR
designs should withstand the following specific
hazards:
The worst-case pressure gradient associated with the

most credible scenario for detonation of the liquid and/or
solid rocket propellant.
The worst-case temperature due to flame from the
detonation.
The worst-case credible combination of pressure
gradients, temperature, and vibration due to range safety
destruct of launch vehicle during ascent.
SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE DESIGNES YET
Radioactive particles were coming out of the engine.
Public was not aware.
Proper sealing materials were not available.

Nuclear Energy Powered Ramjet
Nuclear fission or fusion energy can be used for heating instead of chemical reaction in
the combustion chamber.
Working
Figure shows a schematic of
scramjet engine using nuclear
energy for heat addition instead
of combustion of fuel. Air enters
through the diffuser at high
velocity and the speed is
reduced increasing the pressure
at inlet to combustion chamber.
The speed is still supersonic
where heat is directly added to
the flowing air-stream which is
expanded through convergent –
divergent nozzle designed for
supersonic or hypersonic flight.
COMPARISION OF VELOCITY
Normal combustion ramjet. Nuclear energy powered ramjet.

Operating conditions of both, chemical combustion
ramjet and nuclear powered ramjet, were same in the
simulation.
Dimensions of both engines were also same.
In nuclear powered we have used heat exchangers for
heating the propellant.
Both the engines are giving comparable velocity and
thrust.
Velocity in both the engines we are getting around
1,100m/s.
The Heat exchanger used to carry out the heat addition is
of a plat type heat exchanger , as this reduces the
blockage in flow , hence reducing the unnecessary shocks
and expansion waves in the combustion chamber.
 It was also observed that the jet issuing out at the exit
of the nozzle in the nuclear powered ramjet was much
more circular and wider occupying the entire cross
section of the diverging part of the nozzle.
Hybrid Ramjet & Scramjet Engine
Hybrid ramjet and scramjet engine with heat addition by both nuclear energy
and chemical reactions.
HYBRID NUCLEAR THERMAL REACTOR
Although this paper does not specifically address this

concept, the area of hybrid propulsion system should be
introduced as a viable solution.
The combination of nuclear thermal reactors with chemical

and/or electric propulsion systems is a major area of
research.
Applications
Aircraft.
Target Drones.
Anti aircraft guided missiles.
Space applications.
Conclusion
•This report has attempted to cover the more significant design
issues and concepts in the field of nuclear thermal propulsion.
This technology, in whatever form it finally takes, appears
necessary to meet our nation's commitment to the goals of the
Space Exploration Initiative.
•It is clear from the presented material that there are

significant advantages to developing NTRs. The rich history of
analysis and testing of NTR concepts and designs provides a
foundation upon which current design concepts are based. The
future of this particular technology rests in adequate funding
for the continuation of research and the commencement of
construction and testing phases for the more advanced
designs.
•In addition, a major effort to educate the public must be made
to avoid a public policy mandate to end the NTR program
without an opportunity to test and deploy. The role of safety in
all phases of development must be emphasized.
•In the government and industry segments closely connected

with the effort to explore space, there are a large number of
professionals who believe strongly that our ability to begin
serious exploration and settlement of our solar system depends
on this nuclear propulsion program. From the data available, it
seems clear that this sentiment is correct.

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What are the components of a ramjet engine?

What are the components of a ramjet engine?

What are the advantages of using nuclear energy for propulsion?

What are the advantages of using nuclear energy for propulsion?

Future of Ramjet and Scramjet Engine with

options of using Nuclear Energy

 Ramjets are simplest air breathing engines available.

 Ramjet Engine does not require any moving parts like

 Propulsion engines work on Newton’s third law of motion.

 The action component is produced either by burning of

Combustor & Flame Holder Nozzle

 Lower cost makes it an attractive propulsion device.

 Very High speeds can be achieved by these engines ( Upto

 The velocity difference between the entrance and exit is

 Chemical reactions caused by burning fuel in the combustion

 Thus, I could use nuclear energy produced from nuclear

The basic components

The NTR replaces the chemical combustion in a liquid

• The maximum practical velocity of a Oxygen and

The design of an appropriate nozzle for the NTR will not

If pure U235 is available then it can become critical at a

Therefore, the main issues in deciding on the reactor core

Improved performance of the nuclear engine, in terms of

NAME TEMP. POWER COMMENT

KIWI B4E 1,980K 937MW Operated for 8 min at full power

Phoebus 2A 2,310K 5,000MW Operated for 12 min, including restart.

PEEWEE 2,550K 503MW Small test reactor. Exhaust velocity

NRX A6 2,342K 1,100MW 60 min of operation at full power.

A chemical rocket, using liquid hydrogen and liquid

The worst-case pressure gradient associated with the

Radioactive particles were coming out of the engine.

Public was not aware.

Proper sealing materials were not available.

Normal combustion ramjet. Nuclear energy powered ramjet.

Although this paper does not specifically address this

The combination of nuclear thermal reactors with chemical

•It is clear from the presented material that there are

•In the government and industry segments closely connected

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