Integrated Air Separation and Propulsion System for Aerospace Plane with Atmospheric Oxygen Collection

Aerospace plane with atmospheric oxygen collection for oxidizer supplying on rocket part of trajectory is very attractive concept. The key unit of power plant of such plane is an air liquefaction and separation system.

It is proposed to accomplish the oxygen extraction on the bank of vortex tubes of special kind. The compressor of low speed turbojet engine would served in oxygen collection phase of flight as pressure generator for air separation system. Poor air after oxygen extraction is supposed to use actively in one of power plant combustion chambers.

The configuration of integrated air separation and propulsion system and results of estimation of system using on two stage aerospace plane are discussed.