Chinese scientists build world’s first jet fuel-powered engine for Mach 16 flight
Chinese scientists have successfully tested the world's first oblique detonation engine (ODE) powered by standard aviation kerosene, potentially revolutionizing hypersonic propulsion. This breakthrough could significantly alter the landscape of air and space travel by enabling faster and more efficient propulsion systems.
The experiments, conducted at Beijing's JF-12 shock tunnel, achieved sustained oblique detonation waves using RP-3 jet fuel, a common commercial kerosene. Unlike scramjets, which struggle at high Mach speeds, the ODE uses shock waves to induce ultra-fast, self-sustaining explosions, achieving combustion rates 1,000 times faster. Tests at Mach 9 revealed pressure spikes indicating the engine's capability to generate considerable thrust where scramjets falter, suggesting operational capability between Mach 6 and Mach 16.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
Chinese scientists have successfully tested the world's first oblique detonation engine (ODE) powered by standard aviation kerosene, potentially revolutionizing hypersonic propulsion. This breakthrough could significantly alter the landscape of air and space travel by enabling faster and more efficient propulsion systems.
The experiments, conducted at Beijing's JF-12 shock tunnel, achieved sustained oblique detonation waves using RP-3 jet fuel, a common commercial kerosene. Unlike scramjets, which struggle at high Mach speeds, the ODE uses shock waves to induce ultra-fast, self-sustaining explosions, achieving combustion rates 1,000 times faster. Tests at Mach 9 revealed pressure spikes indicating the engine's capability to generate considerable thrust where scramjets falter, suggesting operational capability between Mach 6 and Mach 16.
via SCMP Full Text Feed
