View source for Engineering:LAPCAT

[[Image:LAPCAT and LAPCAT II Logos.png|thumb|LAPCAT and LAPCAT II Logos]]
'''LAPCAT''' (Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies) was a 36-month European FP6 study to examine ways to produce engines for a [[Physics:Mach number|Mach number]] 4-8 [[Physics:Hypersonic flight|hypersonic flight]] aircraft. The project ended in April 2008.<ref name= "II">{{cite web | url = http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2007/10/23/218658/eu-to-fund-hypersonic-civil-transport-research.html | title= EU to fund hypersonic civil transport research | date = 23 October 2007 | first = Robert ‘Rob’ |last=Coppinger | work =Flight International |accessdate=2009-07-03 | publisher = Flight global}}</ref> It was funded by the European Commission research and development fund (rather than ESA), and cost 7 million euros.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gizmowatch.com/entry/lapcat-aims-at-supersonic-civil-aviation/ |title=LAPCAT aims at supersonic civil aviation |date=30 August 2007 |work=Gizmo Watch |accessdate=2009-07-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220044620/http://www.gizmowatch.com/entry/lapcat-aims-at-supersonic-civil-aviation/ |archivedate=20 February 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/research/transport/projects/article_3666_en.html |title=LAPCAT – Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies |publisher=European Commission |accessdate=2009-07-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805083222/http://ec.europa.eu/research/transport/projects/article_3666_en.html |archivedate=2009-08-05 }}</ref>

'''LAPCAT II''', a 10 million euro, four-year, follow on project, started in October 2008.<ref name="II" /><ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.aiaa.org/aerospace/images/articleimages/pdf/Hypersonics_Aerospace_JUN2008.pdf | title = Europe speeds up hypersonics | date = June 2008 | first = Philip | last = Butterworth-Hayes | publisher = AIAA | work = Aerospace America | accessdate = 2009-07-03 | format = PDF | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100307105223/http://www.aiaa.org/aerospace/images/articleimages/pdf/Hypersonics_Aerospace_JUN2008.pdf | archivedate = 2010-03-07 }}</ref> The study aims to refine some of the results of the first study "allowing the definition of a detailed development roadmap" of a Mach five vehicle.<ref name = "IIa">{{cite web |url = http://www.esa.int/esaMI/Space_Engineering/SEMTCU0P0WF_0.html | title =LAPCAT II overview |date=17 November 2009 |publisher=European Space Agency | accessdate = 2010-09-21}}</ref>

==Objectives==
Two major technologies were to be considered:<ref name="Objectives">{{cite web |url= http://www.esa.int/esaTQM/1129904712655_mechanical_0.html |archive-url= https://archive.today/20121018220106/http://www.esa.int/esaTQM/1129904712655_mechanical_0.html |url-status= dead |archive-date= 18 October 2012 | title = Overview: Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies | date = 24 November 2005 |publisher=European Space Agency |accessdate=2009-07-03}}</ref>
* [[Astronomy:Scramjet|ram-compression]], which needs an additional propulsion system to achieve its minimum working speed. 
* active compression, which has an upper Mach number limitation but can accelerate a vehicle up to its cruise speed.

Key objectives were the definition and evaluation of:<ref name="Objectives"/>
* different propulsion cycles and concepts for high-speed flight at Mach 4 to 8 such as  turbine-based and rocket-based combined cycles
* critical technologies for:
** integrated engine/aircraft performance
** mass-efficient turbines and heat-exchangers
** high-pressure and supersonic combustion experiments
** modelling

Intended results were:<ref name="Objectives"/>
* definition of requirements and operational conditions for high-speed flight at system level
* dedicated experimental data-base specific to high-speed aerodynamics for supersonic and high-pressure combustion and flow phenomena.
* setting-up and validating physical models supported by numerical simulation tools to address supersonic and high-pressure combustion, turbulence and transition phenomena.
* feasibility study of weight performance turbine and heat exchanger components

==Results==
Among the several vehicles studied, only two novel concepts were retained for LAPCAT II: a Mach five vehicle and a Mach eight vehicle.<ref name="IIa"/>

===Mach five vehicle===
[[Image:LAPCAT1.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The LAPCAT A2 concept in the upper atmosphere.]]
One possible [[Engineering:Supersonic transport|supersonic transport aircraft]] being researched as part of this project is the [[Engineering:Reaction Engines A2|A2]] by [[Company:Reaction Engines Limited|Reaction Engines Limited]].<ref>[http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/lapcat.html Reaction Engines Limited - LAPCAT developers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705025020/http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/lapcat.html |date=2009-07-05 }}</ref> The researchers are looking at an aircraft capable of flying from Brussels (Belgium) to [[Place:Sydney|Sydney]] (Australia) in 2–4 hours,<ref name=rlapcat>{{cite web|url=http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/lapcat.html |title=LAPCAT: Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies |publisher=Reaction Engines Limited |accessdate=2009-07-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705025020/http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/lapcat.html |archivedate=2009-07-05 }}</ref> significantly reducing journey times across the globe.

To attain and maintain such high speeds, Reaction Engines Limited would need to develop its newly designed concept engine called [[Engineering:Reaction Engines Scimitar|the Scimitar]], which exploits the [[Physics:Thermodynamics|thermodynamic]] properties of [[Chemistry:Hydrogen|liquid hydrogen]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/lapcat_scim.html |title=LAPCAT - Scimitar Engine |publisher=Reaction Engines Limited |accessdate=2009-07-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706032941/http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/lapcat_scim.html |archivedate=2009-07-06 }}</ref> The engine is theoretically capable of powering the A2 to a sustained [[Physics:Mach number|Mach 5]] throughout flight with an effective exhaust velocity of 40,900&nbsp;m/s or [[Physics:Specific impulse|specific impulse]] of 4170 s, SFC {{convert|4170|isp|tsfc||disp=output only}}.<ref name=rlapcat />

"Results so far show the Mach 5 vehicle from Reaction Engines can avoid later technology pitfalls and could travel from Brussels to Sydney," says ESA's LAPCAT project coordinator Johan Steelant.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2006/06/15/207225/eu-7m-hypersonic-research-plan-considers-uk-designed-mach-5-aircraft-to-fly-brussels-to-sydney-in.html |title=EU €7m hypersonic research plan considers UK-designed Mach 5 aircraft to fly Brussels to Sydney in 2h |date=15 June 2006 | first = Robert ‘Rob’ | last = Coppinger | publisher = Flight International |accessdate= 2009-07-03}}</ref>

===Mach eight vehicle===
Although the cruise flight of the [[Astronomy:Scramjet|scramjet]] based Mach eight vehicle seems feasible, the fuel consumption during acceleration requires a large fuel fraction, severely affecting gross take-off weight.  Initial studies of a first-stage rocket ejector concept gave poor range with large take-off mass.<ref name="IIa" /><ref>{{Citation | title = A conceptual design of a Dorsal-Type Mach 8 vehicle produced by the study | url = http://www.esa.int/images/lapcat_2008-12-05_2_H.jpg | type = image | format = [[JPEG]] | publisher = ESA | date = Dec 5, 2008}}.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Physics:Precooled jet engine|Precooled jet engine]]
*Reaction Engines SABRE
*[[Engineering:Reaction Engines A2|Reaction Engines A2]]
*[[Engineering:Liquid air cycle engine|Liquid air cycle engine]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{Citation | url = http://www.dglr.de/veranstaltungen/extern/aerodays2006/sessions/E_Sessions/E2/E21.pdf | title = LAPCAT kickoff | format = PDF | type = slides | first = J | last = Steelant |date=August 2006|ref=none}}.


{{Supersonic transport}}

[[Category:Supersonic transports]]

{{Sourceattribution|LAPCAT}}