Advanced Airbreathing Hydrocarbon-Fueled Aero-Engine Concepts

Abstract

Abstract : An advanced long duration, high enthalpy direct connect water cooled supersonic combustion research facility has been designed and manufactured; initial calibrations have been performed. This facility provides the AFRL/PRS division with in house capability to conduct long duration scramjet combustor research and development. Simulations of flight Mach numbers to 7+ at flight dynamic pressures to 2000 psf are achievable using four separate facility nozzles (M=1.8, 2.2, 2.6, and 3.0). These efforts are directed at developing advanced propulsion systems for future Air Force high speed flight vehicles. In less than twenty four months, concepts and ideas for a scramjet test facility were analyzed and developed, and components were designed, fabricated, and installed to build an operational scramjet test facility. Components were assembled in Test Cell 22 at AFRL Bldg. 18E. The majority of the components (vitiator, inlet transition, facility nozzle, isolator sections, and fixed and traversing probes) are water cooled. The combustor test section provides a wide parametric space for evaluating fuel injection and flameholding concepts. The AFRL/PRSS Scramjet Test Facility is fully operational and a series of preliminary calibration tests have been completed to fully document the flow characteristics at the combustor inlet for a wide range of flight Mach numbers and dynamic pressures. Data from these tests are presented herein.