Selection of the optimum configuration and calculation studies of the parameters of a cryogenic propulsion system for an unmanned aerial vehicle

Abstract

A computational study of the parameters of a propulsion system of an unmanned aerial vehicle operating on a cryogenic working medium has been carried out. Liquid nitrogen was selected as the cryogenic working fluid. Two alternative configurations of a cryogenic propulsion system for an unmanned aerial vehicle are presented. The first one is a scheme of an air-heated cryogenic propulsion system of an unmanned aerial vehicle in which air acts as the heat source at an ambient temperature at an altitude of 2000 m. The second one is a scheme wherein the working fluid is heated due to solar energy, in this case solar energy acts as the source of heat. A computational study of a cryogenic propulsion system operating on the open Rankine cycle was carried out, as well as computational studies of possible cryogenic propulsion system configurations. As a result of the studies a comparative analysis of the data obtained was made and a suitable cryogenic propulsion system configuration for an unmanned aerial vehicle with the required parameters was selected.