Design of lightweight pistons for the X2 and X3 expansion tube free-piston drivers

Initial experimentation using X2 to simulate a Mach 13 scramjet flight condition indicated the requirement to develop a tuned free-piston driver. This involves running the piston at much higher velocities around the time of diaphragm rupture in order to sustain high driver pressures for significantl...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gildfind, D, Morgan, R, McGilvray, M, Jacobs, P, Eichmann, T, Stalker, R, Teakle, P
Format: Conference item
Published: 2010
_version_ 1797062864703324160
author Gildfind, D
Morgan, R
McGilvray, M
Jacobs, P
Eichmann, T
Stalker, R
Teakle, P
author_facet Gildfind, D
Morgan, R
McGilvray, M
Jacobs, P
Eichmann, T
Stalker, R
Teakle, P
author_sort Gildfind, D
collection OXFORD
description Initial experimentation using X2 to simulate a Mach 13 scramjet flight condition indicated the requirement to develop a tuned free-piston driver. This involves running the piston at much higher velocities around the time of diaphragm rupture in order to sustain high driver pressures for significantly increased duration. Central to the tuned driver is a lightweight piston, which enables the piston to be accelerated to high speeds, and subsequently decelerated, over the same fixed length of compression tube. This paper discusses the background to the tuned driver requirement for X2, and describes the design, stress analysis, and final configuration of a new lightweight aluminium piston. Experimental results for X2 using the new tuned driver are presented, indicating the successful implementation of the concept.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T20:51:42Z
format Conference item
id oxford-uuid:37cd5b59-452b-48d0-a81a-8053c79141c7
institution University of Oxford
last_indexed 2024-03-06T20:51:42Z
publishDate 2010
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:37cd5b59-452b-48d0-a81a-8053c79141c72022-03-26T13:46:12ZDesign of lightweight pistons for the X2 and X3 expansion tube free-piston driversConference itemhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_5794uuid:37cd5b59-452b-48d0-a81a-8053c79141c7Symplectic Elements at Oxford2010Gildfind, DMorgan, RMcGilvray, MJacobs, PEichmann, TStalker, RTeakle, PInitial experimentation using X2 to simulate a Mach 13 scramjet flight condition indicated the requirement to develop a tuned free-piston driver. This involves running the piston at much higher velocities around the time of diaphragm rupture in order to sustain high driver pressures for significantly increased duration. Central to the tuned driver is a lightweight piston, which enables the piston to be accelerated to high speeds, and subsequently decelerated, over the same fixed length of compression tube. This paper discusses the background to the tuned driver requirement for X2, and describes the design, stress analysis, and final configuration of a new lightweight aluminium piston. Experimental results for X2 using the new tuned driver are presented, indicating the successful implementation of the concept.
spellingShingle Gildfind, D
Morgan, R
McGilvray, M
Jacobs, P
Eichmann, T
Stalker, R
Teakle, P
Design of lightweight pistons for the X2 and X3 expansion tube free-piston drivers
title Design of lightweight pistons for the X2 and X3 expansion tube free-piston drivers
title_full Design of lightweight pistons for the X2 and X3 expansion tube free-piston drivers
title_fullStr Design of lightweight pistons for the X2 and X3 expansion tube free-piston drivers
title_full_unstemmed Design of lightweight pistons for the X2 and X3 expansion tube free-piston drivers
title_short Design of lightweight pistons for the X2 and X3 expansion tube free-piston drivers
title_sort design of lightweight pistons for the x2 and x3 expansion tube free piston drivers
work_keys_str_mv AT gildfindd designoflightweightpistonsforthex2andx3expansiontubefreepistondrivers
AT morganr designoflightweightpistonsforthex2andx3expansiontubefreepistondrivers
AT mcgilvraym designoflightweightpistonsforthex2andx3expansiontubefreepistondrivers
AT jacobsp designoflightweightpistonsforthex2andx3expansiontubefreepistondrivers
AT eichmannt designoflightweightpistonsforthex2andx3expansiontubefreepistondrivers
AT stalkerr designoflightweightpistonsforthex2andx3expansiontubefreepistondrivers
AT teaklep designoflightweightpistonsforthex2andx3expansiontubefreepistondrivers