Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Unconventional UW Propulsion YIKES!

[kelleydr@pop.galstar.com]

> Toni, has a very good point about aluminum powder (aluminum oxide). I 
> originally sent out papers from Penn State University on their research in 
> this field. It's called vortex propulsion and is very simple in concept. You 
> introduce aluminum powder into a vortex reaction chamber where it reacts 
> with salt water and creates steam. This steam and residual aluminum are 
> ejected from your nozzel. The aluminum powder must be injected into the 
> outer periphry of the vortex chamber. Without going back and looking at the 
> paper, I don't know what type of pump that they are using for the aluminum 
> powder and whether there is another fluid use to allow it to be pumped out. 
> For all the H2O2 guys out there, they also had another design for this as 
> well. Both of these could be used on a torpedo to increase it's speed and 
> range.
> I still have it it word documents and could send it to those interested.
> It's supposed to have 3 times the energy density as the Mark 50 torpedo 
> (very fast torpedo). PSU actually built one and tested it. For our purposes, 
> all you would need on board would be the aluminum powder and peripheral 
> equipment. It would have to be scaled down so that your sub does not travel 
> at 90 knots, but I think some experimenting would be in order. Here's the 
> introduction.
> 

I would like to see a copy of that. Stupid question but are you talking about 
the vortex engine being the tesla motor or something else.
> The vortex combustor is an emerging technology for the direct reaction of 
> aluminum metal or alloys with water for air-independent water-breathing 
> power generation.  The Office of Naval Research has initiated the 
> development of the basic combustor technology for an underwater ramjet for 
> very high speed torpedoes.  Since a vortex combustor can operate on either 
> water or air, the technology can also be used for a cruise missile that 
> operates initially under water but then emerges and operates as a normal 
> air-breathing cruise missile on the same aluminum fuel.  In the past, 
> aluminum has not been used as a fuel because of associated combustion 
> difficulties.  The solid product (Al2O3) of this reaction tends to 
> tenaciously coat unreacted aluminum fuel, thus inhibiting its reaction.  
> Power systems based on the aluminum-water reaction have very high energy 
> density and specific impulse because the reaction is very energetic and only 
> the aluminum is carried onboard. Figure 1 compares the energy density of a 
> vortex combustor torpedo system with other torpedo powerplants. Figure 2 is 
> a similar comparison for rocket-type underwater systems.
> 
> The Applied Research Lab has demonstrated the essentially complete 
> combustion of aluminum with steam (H2O vapor) using a revolutionary vortex 
> combustor.  The vortex concept is depicted in Figure 3, showing the desired 
> intense reaction of aluminum and water at the core of the circulating flow 
> field.  In the vortex combustor steady-state operation, aluminum fuel and 
> oxidizer are injected tangentially at the outer periphery of the combustor, 
> forming a centrifugally fluidized bed of fuel and oxidizer.  An intense 
> reaction zone at the core heats the incoming fuel, melting the aluminum and 
> initiating combustion.  The shearing action of the vortex breaks up molten 
> fuel particles and fractures the oxide layer to expose more fuel as the 
> smaller particles are carried radially inward along spiral paths.  The 
> resulting rapid reaction heats and boils the aluminum with the final 
> combustion taking place in the vapor phase.  Both the shearing action and 
> the long residence time of fuel particles promote complete combustion in a 
> small volume.  Diluent water is added to the combustor exit flow to control 
> the discharge temperature and augment thrust in underwater ramjet 
> configurations.
> 
> 
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