Hypersonic rocket manoeuvre in the TUSQ facility

Fowler, Michael John (2014) Hypersonic rocket manoeuvre in the TUSQ facility. [USQ Project]

[img]
Preview
Text
Fowler_2014.pdf

Download (50MB) | Preview

Abstract

A number of methods are currently used for the design and testing of hypersonic vehicles, of particular focus in this research is those techniques employed in hypersonic wind tunnels. Current approaches to this testing use fixed sting mounted models, tethered models, and free-flight models to study its behaviour. An addition to these testing techniques and the focus of this project is the use of models with actuated control surfaces to allow the study of a hypersonic vehicle under dynamic conditions. This project aimed to design, construct, and validate; through demonstration of a pitching manoeuvre, a subscale model with an on-board control surface actuation system suitable for use in the University of Southern Queensland hypersonic wind tunnel (TUSQ). A tethered model with actuated control surfaces would indicate how the full-scale vehicle would behave whilst undertaking a manoeuvre.

The first phase of design was a development of a semi-analytical analysis to determine the expected forces and therefore response of the model. This provides data to later compare with the experimental results and parameters for the design of the model. The design of the model covered all components including the fin actuation system, tethering and support system and model housing design. The final phase was building and testing of the model in the
TUSQ facility.

Two runs in the hypersonic facility were completed as part of the research. Unfortunately neither run resulted in a demonstration of an entire successful manoeuvre. Analysis of the results revealed that the motor controlling the fin
operations was providing insufficient torque and the fin control was not occurring as expected. In addition the model exited the Mach cone of developed flow during its pitching manoeuvre. These two factors caused discrepancies between theoretical calculations and experimental data. Analysis of the results and high-speed footage of the model indicate that the technique has the potential to be valid however it will require some further work to make it practical and effective for use in design of hypersonic vehicles.


Statistics for USQ ePrint 27367
Statistics for this ePrint Item
Item Type: USQ Project
Item Status: Live Archive
Additional Information: Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) project.
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (1 Jul 2013 - 31 Dec 2021)
Supervisors: Buttsworth, David
Date Deposited: 09 Sep 2015 04:48
Last Modified: 04 Mar 2016 05:42
Uncontrolled Keywords: hypersonic, dynamic testing, aerodynamics, mach cone, fin actuation system, wind tunnels, pitching manoeuvre
Fields of Research (2008): 09 Engineering > 0901 Aerospace Engineering > 090106 Flight Dynamics
09 Engineering > 0901 Aerospace Engineering > 090101 Aerodynamics (excl. Hypersonic Aerodynamics)
09 Engineering > 0901 Aerospace Engineering > 090103 Aerospace Structures
09 Engineering > 0901 Aerospace Engineering > 090105 Avionics
09 Engineering > 0901 Aerospace Engineering > 090104 Aircraft Performance and Flight Control Systems
09 Engineering > 0901 Aerospace Engineering > 090102 Aerospace Materials
09 Engineering > 0901 Aerospace Engineering > 090107 Hypersonic Propulsion and Hypersonic Aerodynamics
Fields of Research (2020): 40 ENGINEERING > 4001 Aerospace engineering > 400105 Flight dynamics
40 ENGINEERING > 4012 Fluid mechanics and thermal engineering > 401201 Aerodynamics (excl. hypersonic aerodynamics)
40 ENGINEERING > 4001 Aerospace engineering > 400102 Aerospace structures
40 ENGINEERING > 4001 Aerospace engineering > 400104 Avionics
40 ENGINEERING > 4001 Aerospace engineering > 400103 Aircraft performance and flight control systems
40 ENGINEERING > 4001 Aerospace engineering > 400101 Aerospace materials
40 ENGINEERING > 4001 Aerospace engineering > 400106 Hypersonic propulsion and hypersonic aerothermodynamics
URI: https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/27367

Actions (login required)

View Item Archive Repository Staff Only