Project Vulcan: The Development of a Gasdynamic Heater. Volume II. Heat Transfer and Performance Analyses for a Gasdynamic Heater with Helical Impellers

摘要

The technical effort during the period from November 1979 to February 1981 on the development of a gasdynamic heater, Project Vulcan, is summarized. The gasdynamic heater is conceptually a simple device. Nevertheless the fabrication of helical lobe configurations requires state-of-the-art technology, and gasdynamic analyses require considerable simplifications and approximations. Accordingly, analyses are presented which provide basic design data, and possible scaling relationships. Most importantly the results confirm the uniqueness of the gasdynamic heater to provide a quasi steady flow of hot gas for broad metallurgical and physical chemistry applications. The numerical results for heat transfer estimates which are presented were calculated for a helium working fluid with a nominal design point of 4500 exp 0 K discharge temperature and 2 atm discharge pressure. The models indicate the necessary scaling to other gases. The gasdynamics of the well filling process are examined. The models and estimates for surface heat fluxes are summarized. The heat transfer estimates are used to determine the internal coolant requirements for the heater. The potential performance matrix of the heater is summarized. This is intended to provide a summary of the phenomenology and results.