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Requirements for advanced rocket propulsion systems are becoming increasingly more demanding. The use of high temperature capable materials in such systems, including applications in liquid rocket engines and solid rocket motors, offers potential benefits of increased performance and/or efficiency based on the engine operating cycle. For the ultimate in high temperature capability, refractory metals, ceramics, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), and carbon/carbon (C/C)composites each provide particularly beneficial attributes, but with selected limitations. Refractory metals are relatively tough and durable, provide impermeable structures, and can be conventionally fabricated, but are relatively dense, leading to heavyweight structures. Monolithic ceramics generally lack desired toughness and durability. CMCs offer substantially improved toughness over their monolithic counterparts and are relatively lightweight, but are permeable and difficult to join to conventional structures.

The regenerated diesel engine offers the substantial performance advantages that are thermodynamically available when thermal regeneration is applied to a reciprocating internal combustion engine. This paper describes this new form of reciprocating engine and provides an update of the results of feasibility studies and development efforts now in progress. This regenerated engine R&D is being accomplished under a jointly funded, integrated effort involving the US Navy, Caterpillar Inc., the ReJen Co., NASA, and Ultramet Inc. This paper describes only the R&D efforts performed at ReJen and Ultramet.

This paper describes a new form of reciprocating engine and some of the work accomplished to date to investigate the capabilities, feasibility and some of the design issues associated with this engine. This engine offers the substantial performance advantages that are thermodynamically possible when regeneration is applied to a reciprocating internal combustion engine. This regenerated engine is being investigated under a jointly funded, integrated effort involving the US Navy, Caterpillar Inc., the ReJen Co., and Ultramet Inc. This paper describes only the R&D efforts performed at ReJen and Ultramet.