Overcoming the Thermal Bottleneck: Mass Injection Pre-Compressor Cooling (MIPCC) for Enhanced Performance in the Titans Spaceplane
Neal Lachman
🇵🇸 | 🇺🇸 | CEO & Chief of Spacecraft Design | TitansSpace.com | Investor | Selene Mission | Crewed Mars Mission:2032 | Nuclear Propulsion | Normalizing Space Tourism | Spaceplanes | Space Stations
Titans Space is pioneering the use of MIPCC technology in a commercial supersonic/hypersonic vehicle.
This innovative approach has never been (publicly) disclosed or even considered by any other competitor in the field.
How it works
MIPCC addresses a fundamental challenge in hypersonic spaceplane design - the tremendous heat generated by air compression at extreme velocities.
Conventional pre-cooling methods rely on cumbersome and weighty heat exchangers. MIPCC, however, offers a more elegant solution by injecting water and Liquid Oxygen (LOX) directly into the air intake.
As the liquids evaporate, they absorb heat from the incoming air, significantly reducing their temperature before entering the engine. The LOX also increases the amount of oxygen being ingested by the turbofan. This innovative approach offers several compelling advantages:
MIPCC is a total loss system that can only operate until the LOX and water tanks run dry. It is not designed for hypersonic cruise. The MIPCC is intended as a boost during the sprint to the launch speed and altitude where the rocket engines can be fired.
Although the Titans Spaceplane can reach supersonic and even hypersonic speeds, its primary purpose isn't hypersonic travel. Instead, it's designed for the unique demands of orbital and sub-orbital flight.
The Genius of the Titans MIPCC Solution
Putting an airliner high-bypass turbofan inside a variable ramp duct will be what gets it past Mach 1, but MIPCC (Mass Injection Pre-Compressor Cooling) using LOX and water will be what allows the turbofan to keep running up to Mach 3 and in the thin air at extreme altitudes.
The MIPCC will not only cool down the inlet air so that the turbofan doesn't overheat but will also provide the oxygen the turbofan needs to keep running in the air above its normal design limits. The variable ramp inlet slows down the air to subsonic speeds before it reaches the turbofan, but also compresses it. It is this compression that starts raising the temperature of the inlet air at speeds above Mach 1.
The MIPCC can also be used in the Titans Spaceplanes during takeoff to boost thrust and shorten the takeoff roll. Spray bars in the inlet duct forward of the turbofan will be used to inject the LOX and water.
Integrating MIPCC with the existing design of the Titans Spaceplane will necessitate meticulous engineering considerations. The system would need to be lightweight and highly efficient, while also being able to withstand the high-pressure environment of the air intake.
The benefits of MIPCC are undeniable. By overcoming the thermal bottleneck, this technology paves the way for a new generation of faster, more efficient, and more economical spaceplanes. This would not only benefit the Titans Spaceplane project but also open doors for the entire commercial space industry, accelerating the realization of a new space age.
MIPCC presents a great avenue for the Titans Spaceplane to achieve superior performance. Leveraging this innovative cooling technology is one of the many reasons why the Titans Spaceplane will become a true game-changer in the quest for affordable and accessible space travel. The rewards are substantial, bringing us closer to a future where space travel transcends the realm of science fiction and becomes a tangible reality.
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About Titans Space
Titans Space is creating a streamlined Earth-to-lunar surface transport infrastructure with spaceplanes, space stations, spaceships, and dedicated lunar vehicles for landing and travel.
Titans Space intends to:
✓ Become the largest LEO and Lunar Space tourism company
✓ Become the largest Real Estate owner in Space and the Moon
✓ Become the largest Lunar commerce and mining company (from 2031 onwards)
TSI was founded by a group of 15 partners with a combined 450 years of business experience, representing investor interests in Titans Universe/TSI. They worked together on numerous projects for a combined 200+ years.
The founding team includes a 28-year-veteran Space entrepreneur and satellite broadband pioneer, a PE fund manager who raised more than $6 billion in capital, a 40+ year rocketry and aerodynamics veteran, a 40+ year Space entrepreneur and activist, a Hall-of-Fame NBA basketball legend, a former Head of Business Development at Apple, a multi-billion-dollar business strategist, a former MD of KPMG NYC who advised on 100+ PE and M&A transactions, and the former CFO of a Formula One racing team and public listed companies.