Abstract: The use of hydrocarbon fuels for cooling hypersonic aircraft and missile structures and engines is accomplished by passing fuel through cooling channels in the vehicle. A multicomponent hydrocarbon fuel having a pyrolyzing component which cracks in a supercritical temperature range (above 900.degree. F.) and thus absorbs heat is used in combination with a diluent fuel or fuel component which reduces the rate at which cracked hydrocarbons recombine in the cooling channels, thus causing coking which can clog cooling channels and also release heat to the structure to be cooled. The cracked fuel having absorbed heat and remaining in it's cracked state is in a condition to burn more quickly and energetically in the combustion chamber along with the hot diluent fuel, thus providing an efficient use of the heat absorbed in the cooling process and increasing the performance of the vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the integration of structural cooling and fuel treatment within hypersonic vehicles. This is achieved by channeling a hydrocarbon fuel to a portion of the aircraft structure and imparting via the heat sink effect sufficient heat to cause a pyrolysis of the hydrocarbon fuel. After pyrolysis, the resulting fractions are then utilized as a fuel by the vehicle.