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Here is output from Version 17
I think the in-pipe calculations are probably fairly close, but I suspect the flight after exit from the launch tube is not accurate.
We are concentrating on the first kilometer, and may have set the flight after exit aside for this version.
python3 20250906AirCaptureSimulationV17.py
--- Current Simulation Parameters ---
projectile_diameter_m: 1.0
payload_mass_kg: 1000.0
rocket_mass_kg: 1000.0
initial_velocity_mps: 11000.0
launch_altitude_meters_above_sea_level: 0.0
final_altitude_meters_above_sea_level: 100000.0
pipe_volume_m3: 15.0
pipe_ID_m: 0.04
pipe_OD_m: 0.05
time_step_s: 0.01
relative_humidity_percent: 0.0
initial_pipe_temp_K: 100.0
launch_tube_length_m: 1000.0
version: 17Do you want to change any parameters? (y/n): n
--- Gas Gun Air Harvesting Simulation V17 ---
Projectile Diameter: 1.0 m
Initial Mass: 68234.38 kg
Pipe Mass (calculated): 66234.38 kg
Payload Mass: 1000.0 kg
Rocket Mass: 1000.0 kg
Target Velocity: 11000.0 m/s (11.00 km/s)
Target Altitude: 100 km
Launch Tube Length: 1000.0 m
Acceleration: 60500.00 m/s^2 (6167.18 g)
Pipe Volume: 15.0 m^3
Pipe ID/OD: 4.00 cm / 5.00 cm
Calculated Number of Pipes: 1
Total Cooling Surface Area: 1500.00 m^2
Relative Humidity: 0.0%
Initial Pipe Temp: 100.0 K
--------------------------------------------- Phase 1: Barrel Launch ---
Final velocity at barrel exit: 11000.00 m/s
Mass of air captured: 962.60 kg
Work done on air (Total Energy): 58.24 GigaJoules
Energy for Dissociation: 0.96 GigaJoules
Energy for Ionization: 1.44 GigaJoules
Thermal Energy to Gas: 55.83 GigaJoules
Heat transferred to pipe: 0.40 GigaJoules
Pipe temp after barrel: 113.29 K
Gas temp after barrel: 57590.05 K--- Phase 2: Atmospheric Flight ---
--- Simulation Complete ---
Final Altitude: 100.06 km
Final Velocity: 10796.05 m/s (10.80 km/s)
Total Time: 9.31 s
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This post shows plans for Version 18 of the Air Capture Simulation...
Modifications to the Air Capture scenario are encouraging. Increased mass for the Air Capture subsystem makes a difference.
It appears there is about a ton of air in the launch tube, and capture of all of it would solve an operational problem while adding value to the payload delivered to LEO. Pipes used to capture the air are a valuable commodity on orbit as well, since every large structure is going to need pipes to convey fluids from one place to another, and iron is a suitable material for the purpose.
I will proceed with Version 18. This version will incorporate the updates we've discussed: calculating the pipe mass from its dimensions, reporting the final internal gas pressure, and refining the heat transfer model during the barrel launch phase.
The Program (Version 18)
This version refines our simulation of the "barrel-only-capture" scenario. It is now more physically realistic by modeling the rapid energy transfer and pressure buildup inside the launch tube more accurately.Key Changes:
Calculated Pipe Mass: The program now calculates the mass of the capture pipes based on the user-defined inner and outer diameters and the specified volume.
Dynamic Phase 1: The barrel launch phase is no longer a single-step calculation. It's now a time-stepped loop that simulates the compression, heating, and heat transfer over the duration of the launch. This provides a much more realistic view of the temperature and pressure buildup.
Pressure Calculation: The program calculates the final pressure of the captured gas, which is a critical engineering parameter for the pipe design.
Energy Partitioning and Heat Transfer: The energy from compression is continuously partitioned into thermal energy, dissociation, and ionization. Heat transfer to the pipes is also calculated in each time step, providing a more accurate final temperature for both the gas and the pipes.
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