Quantification of geometric uncertainty on hypersonic aerodynamics in scramjet inlets

Abstract

Geometric deviations arising from manufacturing and assembly processes can significantly impact the aerodynamic stability of scramjet inlets. This study aims to quantify the uncertainty and sensitivity of the inlet aerodynamics caused by geometric deviations. Specifically, three representative operating modes are considered: start, half-start, and unstart. Five geometric parameters are extracted as random uncertain variables, including the first and second ramp angle (α1, α2), the horizontal and vertical distance between the lip point and the throat point (dh, dv), and the inner angle of the cowl lip (α3). To achieve the quantification objective, the non-intrusive polynomial chaos method is employed for uncertainty quantification. Sobol indices are utilized to assess the impact of each geometric parameter on the uncertainty of quantities of interest. Results indicate that geometric deviations for only ±1% can have a significant impact on the aerodynamic performance of the inlet. Specifically, the pressure uncertainty in the shock region is more than four times that of the non-shock region, exceeding 40%. With respect to the performance parameters, the mass capture ratio demonstrates a high sensitivity to geometric deviations, with the uncertainty for 6.76%. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the three primary factors affecting the aerodynamic stability within the isolator are dv, α2, and dh. Therefore, deviations in their manufacturing and assembly should be strictly controlled.