Design and Verification of RP-3 Precooler Test Rig at Mach 4 Condition

Horizontal takeoff and landing reusable hypersonic propulsion systems for atmospheric transport represent a critical direction for future development. Among current propulsion solutions, the precooled engine stands out as one of the most promising technologies. Its key feature lies in the integration of a precooler within the intake system, which absorbs stagnation heat from the incoming airflow. Although existing literature has explored the design, manufacturing, and preliminary validation of precoolers, significant gaps remain, including insufficient research on cooling media and a lack of transitional studies from fundamental mechanisms to engineering applications regarding precooler heat exchange performance. To address these issues, this study employs aviation fuel RP-3 as the heat exchange medium and designs a complex test system targeting a precooler with a heat exchange capacity of 600 kW and a power-to-weight ratio of 100 kW/kg. Experimental validation and CFD/FEM simulation demonstrate that the test system meets the design objectives for temperature, pressure, and response time at the precooler inlet for Mach 4. To the best of our knowledge, no similar research has been reported in the field of precooled engines.