Fighter jet engine to power 1000 mph car

By Wolfgang Gruener

If you have a budget of about $1.5 million and some patience, you can purchase the world’s fastest production car, the Bugatti Veyron 16.4, and brag about a top speed slightly north of 250 mph. But even that insane speed (which can only achieved with a special key and typically only on closed circuits) is well below the current land speed record of 763 mph, which was achieved by a jet-powered car called Thrust SSC in 1997. 14 years later, the same driver, Andy Green, as well as a previous record holder, Richard Noble, will try to break the 1000 mph barrier with Bloodhound SSC (SSC stands for super sonic car) in a project that is financed by the British Ministry of Defence.

The vehicle is about 42 ft long, weighs 14,158 pounds (fuelled) and is expected to accelerate from 0 – 1050 mph in 40 seconds. At that speed, 900mm diameter wheels will spin at over 10,000rpm, generating 50,000 radial g at the rim. Every second, the vehicle will cover a distance of 1466 feet, which is the equivalent of nearly 5 football fields. The downforce pressure on its carbon fiber and titanium bodywork will exceed 2450 pounds per square foot or more than 12 tons per square meter.

Today’s project launch is followed by a week-long exhibition at the Science Museum, London, where the public can meet the team.


Challenges

Bloodhound SSC faces two key challenges – to create tires that will hold on at 1000 mph and are not damaged by surface inconsistencies, as well a power plant that will drive the vehicle to a top speed of more than 1000 mph. Deeply involved in the project are scientists at the UK's National Physical Laboratory (NPL) as well as colleagues at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) and Fluid Gravity Engineering (FGE) units “to advise the world-record bid team on two of the most high-risk aspects of the world record attempt.”

The scientists said the wheels need to be able to rotate at 10,500 rpm without being damaged by the surface or any stones that they run over. They also need to be as light as possible to minimize steering and suspension forces, absorb all of the weight, down force loads and stresses and distribute this pressure without causing damage to the vehicle or the surface. The choice of materials, including titanium, aluminum alloys and metal composites are currently evaluated because at such speeds the wheels act like powerful gyroscopes.


Power plant

The power will come from the first ever mixed power plant of a hybrid rocket motor and a jet engine that is currently used on the Eurofighter Typhoon. The Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan provides a thrust of 60 kN or 13,500 lbs and 90 kN or 22,000 lbs with afterburner, which would be enough to lift the Bloodhound SSC vertically off the ground like a rocket. Equipped with two engines, the Eurofighter jet is capable of reaching a top speed of about 1320 mph or Mach 2.

When completed, the Bloodhound SSC (super sonic car) will be driven by Andy Green who set the current record of 763 mph. If the new vehicle achieves its target of 1,000 mph, it will mark the greatest incremental increase in the history of the World Land Speed Record. It will also exceed the low altitude speed record for aircraft (994 mph), the developers said. Richard Noble who set a land speed record with Thrust 2 and 633 mph in 1983, was appointed project leader for Bloodhound SSC.


Big objective - education

The organization said that it is primary objective of the project is to “create an unprecedented education and engagement program, lead led by a dedicated team of teachers and education specialists.”

“From innovative, curriculum based lesson plans covering subjects ranging from geography to citizenship, as well as science, technology, engineering and mathematics, to a schools visitor centre featuring the ‘classroom of the future’ at the team’s HQ in Filton, Bristol, the aim is to make Bloodhound SSC accessible to all ages from 5 – 19 and beyond,” the group stated.

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