a recent article on engineering.com detailed the problems and solutions being developed to enable hypersonic travel, particularly the work being done at reaction systems, inc., a colorado-based company working on cutting-edge technology in the aerospace and military industries.

3-d metal printing has led to a breakthrough in hypersonic propulsion.
(reaction systems, inc./youtube)

reaction systems has developed a novel solution to the problem of heat transfer, which has been an issue holding back potential hypersonic aircraft propulsion. the company has built an endothermic fuel system that absorbs the heat load from the combustor to allow faster speeds.

as the article explained, “the biggest problem is simple: heat. from the mid-1950s on, aircraft capable of mach 2 speeds and faster were frequently limited not by available thrust or drag, but by the heat buildup caused by atmospheric friction. the same is true inside turbojet and ramjet engines: at hypersonic speeds of mach 5 and higher, existing aerospace alloys simply burn up.

“paradoxically, very high combustion temperatures are key to high thrust, which is essential for high speed flight.”

reaction systems had to look past standard heat transfer methods when dealing with the heightened heat levels that occur at hypersonic speeds. the company had to develop a whole new fuel and catalyst system that will run through a heat exchanger to absorb more heat than traditional working fluids.

in addition, the company needed to increase the surface area of the heat exchanger to ensure that enough heat was transferred to the fluid. to accomplish this step, reaction systems turned to colorado-based fauston tool corporation, which uses technology from concept laser (a ge additive company) to work with “superalloys” and 3-d printing unique geometries.

“additive technology, as proven by faustson’s concept laser 3d metal printer, now allows small and medium-sized shops to team with small research teams to create new aerospace technologies previously limited to big air framers such as lockheed martin, boeing, northrop grumman and powerplant heavyweights like general electric and pratt and whitney,” the article explained.

read more about this project at http://www.engineering.com/advancedmanufacturing/articleid/15606/3d-printing-enables-hypersonic-propulsion-breakthrough.aspx.

also, learn more in the video below: