One Dimensional Model of a Solar-Thermal Thruster Using a Porous Absorber/Heat Exchanger

Abstract

This paper presents a one dimensional model of a solar-thermal thruster using a porous disk as a concentrated sunlight absorber and heat exchanger. This type of thruster is one of several high Isp thruster concepts being studied by the Phillips Laboratory to transfer payloads from low earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit. Soar propulsive techniques should deliver close to 1000 sec of Isp using a very low molecular weight propellant,hydrogen. The purpose of this model is to determine the dependency of thrust, specific impulse, and energy conversion efficiency upon a variety of parameters including solar concentration, and propellant mass flow rate.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 15, 1993
Accession Number
ADA408428

Entities

People

  • Michael R. Holmes

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Chemical Reactions
  • Energy
  • Equations
  • Equations Of State
  • Flow Rate
  • Heat Energy
  • Heat Exchangers
  • Heat Transfer
  • Heat Transfer Coefficients
  • Heat Transmission
  • Mass Flow
  • Materials
  • Optical Properties
  • Porous Materials
  • Radiation
  • Solar Propulsion
  • Thermodynamics

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Satellites