Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) is a propulsion technology that is currently being developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) of India.
It is a variant of ramjet engine technology, which is used to power supersonic aircraft and missiles.
In a ramjet engine, the air is compressed by the forward motion of the vehicle and then mixed with fuel and ignited to create a continuous combustion process that generates thrust.
The SFDR engine uses solid fuel instead of liquid fuel and ducts to channel the air and fuel mixture through the engine.
The SFDR engine is designed to operate at speeds of up to Mach 3, which is three times the speed of sound. The use of solid fuel allows for a simpler and more compact engine design than liquid fuel ramjets, which require complex fuel storage and delivery systems.
The SFDR engine is currently being developed for use in air-launched missiles, including the BrahMos-NG, a next-generation variant of the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile.
The SFDR technology is expected to provide increased range, speed, and maneuverability for the BrahMos missile, making it a more capable and effective weapon system.
what is ramjet technology?
It is a form of air-breathing jet engine that uses the engine’s forward motion to compress incoming air without an axial compressor or a centrifugal compressor.
A ramjet-powered vehicle requires an assisted take-off like a rocket assist to accelerate it to a speed where it begins to produce thrust.
Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around Mach 3 (three times the speed of sound) and can operate up to the speeds of Mach 6.
However, the ramjet efficiency starts to drop when the vehicle reaches hypersonic speeds.
Ramjet-powered missiles provide greater range and a higher average speed compared to missiles powered by solid propellants.
ramjet missiles can carry a bigger warhead as they do not have to carry an oxidizer.
Difference between Ramjet&Scramjet Technology
Ramjet engines known as scramjets (supersonic-combustion ramjets) maintain supersonic airflow throughout the machine.
Scramjet is a ramjet airbreathing jet engine version in which combustion occurs in supersonic airflow.
Consider the following statements about Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR):
1. It has been developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation.
2. The SFDR-based propulsion enables the missile to intercept aerial threats at short range at ultrasonic speeds.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
