Upgraded design methodology for airframe/engine integrated full-waverider vehicle considering thrust chamber design

Abstract

An upgraded airframe/engine integrated design approach for a full-waverider vehicle considering thrust chamber design is proposed. Compared with the existing design approach of the full-waverider vehicle, the isolator, the combustor, and the nozzle are designed complementally. First, the airframe and inlet are generated using the full-waverider theory, the isolator with the centroid offset variable cross-section is designed using the geometric morphing method, and the maximum thrust nozzle is obtained by the method of characteristics. Coupled with a circular cross-section combustor and air rudders, a complete full-waverider vehicle including the thrust chamber is generated. Second, the correctness and the availability of the design method is verified through numerical simulations under the design condition. Finally, the aerodynamic performance of the full-waverider vehicle is analyzed under a wide-speed range in the moment equilibrium state. The optimal lift-to-drag ratio of the entire vehicle is 4.03 appearing at 4° angle of attack. Owing to the rudder deflection, the optimal lift to drag ratio reduces from 4.03 to 2.44, and the corresponding angle of attack changes as well. Moreover, the inlet unstart phenomenon occurs with the decrease of the Mach number and with the increase of the angle of attack.