China's hypersonic technology has made another breakthrough, providing an unprecedented hypersonic power solution by combining a rotary detonation engine and an oblique detonation engine, a design that is truly "the world's first".
Foreword: Some time ago, in a scientific research base in Northwest China, a drone took off into the air, which excited countless Chinese military fans. This drone is equipped with the legendary detonation engine, codenamed FB-1. From the rumor that a major breakthrough has been made in the research and development of domestic detonation engines to the complete success of the first test flight, only a few months have passed. It is enough to show that China has made some progress in this field and has achieved a lot of accumulation.
Now, the Hong Kong media has exposed another news that China has gone one step further in this field and has China's original hypersonic power solution.
(Faster hypersonic vehicles may be born)
1. The world's first! Chinese scientists have explored the most powerful detonation engine
According to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, Chinese scientists are researching air-breathing engines that can accelerate aircraft from zero to 16 times the speed of sound, directly from ground level to an altitude of more than 30 kilometers, and consume less fuel than conventional engines. According to the report, flying at this speed, even the longest intercontinental flight will only take an hour or two.
It is reported that this engine combines a rotary detonation engine and an oblique detonation engine. In a paper published by scientists, it is mentioned that such an engine will operate in two different modes. When the speed is below Mach 7, it acts as a rotary detonation engine, and the air and fuel from the outside are mixed and ignited, resulting in a huge shock wave that provides powerful and continuous thrust to the aircraft.
When the speed exceeds Mach 7, the shock wave stops rotating, and the thrust is maintained by a circular platform at the rear of the engine in the form of an almost straight inclined detonation. According to some analysts, this engine can convert nearly 80% of chemical energy into kinetic energy, which is three to four times more efficient than conventional engines.
It is worth mentioning that this design is unique in China and the first in the world. This solution has unmatched advantages over conventional engines, with the ability to achieve maximum efficiency in almost all speed ranges, and will revolutionize aerospace propulsion.
(Engine blueprint mentioned in the paper)
2. This time China will not be left behind, and overtaking in corners is just around the corner
At present, the propulsion system of China's hypersonic vehicle is mainly composed of a rocket and a scramjet engine, due to the need to carry oxygen, the efficiency of the rocket is relatively low, and the scramble engine also has great limitations, the speed of the aircraft must reach more than Mach 4 to start, and once it reaches Mach 10, there will be a sharp drop in thrust. Therefore, both military and civilian supersonic vehicles urgently need technological breakthroughs to achieve larger payloads and longer range at a lower cost.
In recent years, China and the United States have engaged in fierce competition in the field of hypersonic engines. Some time ago, the United States announced a combined engine DMRJ, which integrates turbine base, sub-combustion ramjet, scramjet and rotary detonation, and the maximum flight speed can reach more than Mach 5, and the demonstration test was carried out.
Speaking of which, some people may ask, which of these two technologies is more advanced? It can only be said that each has its own advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the turbo engine owned by DMRJ can make it start quickly and increase to normal take-off thrust, in contrast, the mode of rotational detonation + oblique detonation, at the beginning because it is a self-aspirated mode, the acceleration is relatively slow, and it is necessary to slowly wait for the speed to increase and gradually get better.
On the other hand, the structure of DMRJ is complex, and the speed cannot be increased due to the use of scramjet engine, which is a bit difficult to exceed Mach 10, while the rotary explosion + oblique detonation does not have this problem, and the speed that can be achieved is much higher than Mach 10.
(Structure of the DMRJ engine in the United States)
It can also be seen from here that this design concept is still very advanced, and when this engine is actually launched, it will inevitably bring a lot of shock.
3. The new breakthrough of the detonation engine gives us the strength to subvert the war system
When this kind of engine is born, it can first be used in aircraft to achieve hypersonic flight in near space, carry out anti-missile interception missions, and bombing missions, and the effect is simply not very good. Secondly, it can also be used in aerospace aircraft, and the space launch vehicles will be reused, and the cost will be greatly reduced, helping the mainland to explore a broader "sea of stars".
It is also believed that such an engine can be used on hypersonic cruise missiles with a significantly reduced volume and weight, a longer range and greater power.
It is worth mentioning that, in addition to the breakthrough in the engine, scientists have tested a new type of "waverider" surface material that not only intact in the high temperatures generated by hypersonic flight, but also penetrate electromagnetic waves.
(This engine may also be used on hypersonic missiles.)
The material could help develop a new generation of reusable hypersonic vehicles that can travel longer and faster, pushing the boundaries of flight, the researchers say. Nowadays, in the field of hypersonic vehicles, Chinese scientists have made a lot of breakthroughs, dripping water through stones, one day, China will achieve corner overtaking, become a leader in this field, and this also gives China the strength to subvert the war system.
Conclusion: Do you know anything else about this new engine? Welcome to leave your views and stories in the comment area.