Methyle Long Endurance Test Facility for Dual-Mode Ramjet Combustor Technologies

摘要

The development of operational, civilian or military, application of the hypersonic air breathing propulsion depends of two key points: · capability to predict with a reasonable accuracy, and to optimise, the aero-propulsive balance (or generalized thrust-minus-drag), · development of needed technologies for the propulsion system as a low weight, highly robust fuel-cooled structure for the combustor. For this second point, a large part of the technology development effort can be based on ground testing and classical numerical simulation (thermal analysis, mechanics...). In order to provide the ground testing capabilities needed by this technology development effort, MBDA and ROXEL upgraded their hypersonic test line in their Bourges Subdray test center. The new test facility, METHYLE, allows performing long endurance test with total temperature up to 2400K (～Mach7.5). Thanks to a modular water-cooled dual-mode ramjet combustor, SMR, METHYLE makes possible a large set of technology tests: endothermic fuels reforming and burning, variable geometry, sealing system, fuel-cooled structure, measurement techniques, engine control system... Today, METHYLE acceptance test series has been performed and first operational tests have been performed in late 2009.