Technology roadmapping methodology for future hypersonic transportation systems

This paper discloses an innovative methodology for the generation and update of technology roadmaps to support strategic decisions for future hypersonic transportation systems, specifically targeting non-profit oriented R&D. The methodology is fully integrated into up-to-date conceptual design activity flows. It consists of five main steps that through mathematical and logical models moves from stakeholders’ analysis up to planning definition and results evaluation. Complementary to the traditional experts-based methodologies, the rational process here presented allows for a well-structured logical definition of activities and/or missions required to enhance the readiness level of technologies, including a more accurate and reliable budget and time resources estimation to support the technology development plan. This methodology is exploited in the framework of the H2020 STRATOFLY Project to assess the potential of hypersonic civil vehicles to reach Technology Readiness Level 6 by 2035 with respect to key technological, societal and economical aspects. The paper discloses a unique assessment of the readiness level of the European air-breathing propulsive technologies. The final results confirm the crucial role of air-breathing propulsive technologies in the development of future hypersonic transportation system and highlight the urgent need to invest in in-flight demonstration missions with increasing functionalities, to target 2050 as entry in to service of the first Mach 8 civil transport

I contadini a scuola. La scuola rurale in Italia dall’unità alla caduta del fascismo

Review of the book by Luca Montecchi, I contadini a scuola. La scuola rurale in Italia dall’unità alla caduta del fascismo.Luca Montecchi, I contadini a scuola. La scuola rurale in Italia dall’unità alla caduta del fascismo

Between progress and philanthropy. Social and educational paths for the abandoned children of Southern Italy before the Unification: the case of Molise

This article illustrates the outcomes of research aimed at investigating traineeship programmes established in Southern Italy before the Unification as forerunners of the professional education courses that would later develop across the nation. Specifically, the investigation focuses on those charitable institutions whose aim was to educate abandoned children to fit into civilised society through professional training – in line with a model of social recovery through practical education. In particular, this paper explores the connection between each manufacturing sector and its corresponding educational programme. The most relevant training programmes in Molise – supported by legislative, archival and bibliographical documentary – will be analysed through reconstruction of the political debate of the time, which revolved around establishing «protected housing» that also served as centres of industry. To this end, particular attention will be paid to Campobasso’s Orphanage and «Pious house of labour» (Casa pia di lavoro) respectively founded during the French Decade and shortly before the 1848 Revolution. The historical framework is provided by the turbulent events of that time, and we focus in particular on the interdependent relationship between political economy, school and welfare, in order to provide a comprehensive picture of the complex relationship between education, social welfare and manufacturing before Italian Unification

Research, development and production costs prediction parametric model for future civil hypersonic aircraft

Assessing the economic viability of new high-speed systems concepts since the early design phases is crucial for the success of future hypersonic vehicles including cruisers, reusable access-to-space and re-entry systems. Besides literature reports few parametric cost models for high-speed vehicles, all of them makes exclusively use of mass as parameter and none of the models moves beyond the vehicle level. This paper describes a new parametric cost estima-tion model which moves beyond the state-of-the-art methodologies (1) by integrating vehicle design and operational parameters (in addition to the mass) as cost drivers for the prediction of the vehicle life-cycle cost, (2) by introducing prediction margins accounting for the uncertainties on the data-driven correlations, (3) by providing a first estimate of the costs of every on-board subsystem, including combined cycle engines and multi-functional subsystems, (4) by increasing the granularity of the analysis up to technology level, thus providing a valuable support to Technology Roadmaping activities. The parametric cost estimation model has been refined and exploited in the context of the Horizon 2020 STRATOFLY project, where the technological, operational, environmental, and economic viability of a Mach 8 waverider concept have been investigated

Liquid Metals Heat-Pipe solution for hypersonic air-intake leading edge: Conceptual design, numerical analysis and verification

Embedded propulsion systems will allow future hypersonic aircraft to reach amazing levels of performance. However, their peculiar small-radius air-intake leading edges pose serious challenges from the aerothermodynamic, design, integration, and manufacturing standpoints. This paper discloses the methodology developed in the framework of the H2020 STRATOFLY project and specifically tailored to support the conceptual and preliminary design phases of future high-speed transportation systems. The methodology implements an incremental approach which includes multifidelity design, modelling and simulation techniques. The specific application to the MR3, a Mach 8 waverider configuration with an embedded dorsal mounted propulsive subsystem, is reported. Different alternative solutions have been thoroughly analysed, including five liquid metals as fluids (Mercury, Cesium, Potassium, Sodium and Lithium) and relative wick and case materials (Steel, Titanium, Nickel, Inconel® and Tungsten) and three leading-edges materials (CMC, Tungsten with low emissivity painting and Tungsten with high emissivity painting). The analysis of the heat transfer limits (the capillary, entrainment, viscosity, chocking and boiling limits) carried out for all five fluids and relative compatible materials, together with a more accurate FEM analysis, suggest the adoption of a Nickel- Potassium liquid metal heat pipe completely integrated in a platelet air-intake leading edge made of CMC material. Ultimately, the effectiveness of the adopted solution throughout all mission phases has been verified with a detailed numerical model, built upon an electrical analogy

Oxidative stress and respiratory diseases in preterm newborns

Premature infants are exposed to an increased generation of reactive oxygen species, and on the other hand, they have a deficient antioxidant defense system. Oxidative insult is a salient part of lung injury that begins as acute inflammatory injury in respiratory distress disease and then evolves into chronic and structural scar leading to bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Oxidative stress is also involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension in the newborn through the modulation of the vascular tone and the response to pulmonary vasodilators, with consequent decrease in the density of the pulmonary vessels and thickening of the pulmonary arteriolar walls. Oxidative stress has been recognized as both a trigger and an endpoint for several events, including inflammation, hypoxia, hyperoxia, drugs, transfusions and mechanical ventilation, with im-pairment of pulmonary function and prolonged lung damage. Redoxomics is the most fascinating new measure to address the lung damage due to oxidative stress. The new challenge is to use omics data to discover a set of biomarkers useful in diagnoses, prognoses and in formulating optimal and individualized neonatal care. The aim of this review was to examine the most recent evidences on the relationship between oxidative stress and lung diseases in preterm newborns. What is cur-rently known regarding oxidative stress related- lung injury pathogenesis and the available preventive and therapeutic strategies are also discusse

Aero-thermal design of STRATOFLY MR3 hypersonic vehicle

Civil hypersonic flights are one of the key technological challenges of next generation. The EC-funded STRATOFLY (Stratospheric Flying Opportunities for High-Speed Propulsion Concepts) project has the objective of assessing the potential of this type of high-speed transport vehicle to reach TRL6 by 2035, with respect to key technological, societal and economical aspects, namely thermal and structural integrity, low-emissions combined propulsion cycles, subsystems design and integration including smart energy management, environmental aspects impacting climate change, noise emissions and social acceptance, and economic viability accounting for safety and human factors. This paper presents the aerothermal design of the new STRATOFLY MR3 hypersonic vehicle

Upgrade of HyCost methodology and tool to support LCC estimation of reusable access to space vehicles

This paper aims at presenting the latest upgrades to HyCost Methodology and Tool, developed by Politecnico di Torino under funding and supervision of the European Space Agency (ESA), to support Life Cycle Cost (LCC) estimation of reusable access to space vehicles. The main idea is to support the designer in cost estimation activity during conceptual and preliminary design phases, allowing the evaluation of Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDTE) Costs, Production Costs, as well as Direct and Indirect Operating Costs (DOC and IOC), for a wide set of aerospace systems, from supersonic civil aircraft to hypersonic and, in general, high speed vehicles. Politecnico di Torino has already proposed a LCC methodology and tool called “HyCost 1.0” specifically tailored to air-breathing high-speed transportation systems. This paper discloses the upgrades of HyCost 1.0, i.e. “HyCost 2.0” methodology, to extend the methodology and tool capability to future Reusable Access to Space Vehicles. The main goal of this research activity is to evaluate the applicability of already existing parametric cost estimation relationships (CERs) to the peculiarities of Reusable Access to Space Vehicles and if necessary, to define new equations. Specifically, this new set of equations shall be able to capture the impact of different vehicle configurations (e.g. staging strategy, staging Mach number, parallel or series configuration, etc…) onto costs, as well as the impact of the most promising propulsive solutions, ranging from scramjet and combined cycle engines to rocket engines. Ultimately, this new methodology and implemented routines are applied and validated using the SpaceX Starship case study

Cooling system of STRATOFLY hypersonic vehicle: conceptual design, numerical analysis and verification

This paper describes the thermal design processes of STRATOFLY hypersonic vehicle cooling system showing either the methodology and the supporting FEM numerical simulations. It focuses on two different regions that are both subjected to severe overheating: air-intake leading edges and the combustion chamber. Final remarks on structure survivability are presented

Thermal Protection System preliminary design of STRATOFLY high-speed propelled vehicle

This paper discloses the methodology and the preliminary results achieved in the framework of the H2020 STRATOFLY Project on the design of the Thermal Protection System of the MR3 vehicle. The results of the aero-thermal assessment performed throughout the trajectory clearly indicate the air-intake leading edges as the most critical area, thus dedicated Thermal Protection System alternatives have been explored. Specifically, solutions coupling high-temperature materials (mainly CMC and tungsten with different emissivity paints) with Liquid Metals Heat Pipe arrangements are modelled. Eventually, the effectiveness of the designed solutions is verified with detailed numerical simulation. The design which includes the air-intake main structure made of CMC material and integrating Nickel - Potassium heat pipe results to be the most promising solution to withstand the high thermal loads experienced by STRATOFLY MR3 throughout its Mach 8 long-haul route