Strut-based Scramjet Combustor Research Articles

Mode transition process in a typical strut-based scramjet combustor based on a parametric study

The combustion performance of hydrogen fuel in a scramjet combustor has been a popular focus for scholars all over the world. In this study, the influence of the jet-to-crossflow pressure ratio on combustion performance in a scramjet combustor was investigated numerically, and the influence of a wall-mounted cavity was evaluated. The simulations were conducted using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations coupled with the renormalization group (RNG) k-e turbulence model and the single-step chemical reaction mechanism. This numerical approach was validated by comparing predicted results with published experimental shadowgraphs and velocity and temperature measurements. When the pressure of the wall-injector increases, the performance of the combustor decreases. At the same inflow condition, this may lead to a scram-to-ram mode transition. The cavity adopted in this study would prevent pre-combustion shock waves from pushing out of the isolator and help to stabilize the flow field, but it would decrease the mixing and combustion efficiencies.

Effect of different wall injection schemes on the flow-field of hydrogen fuelled strut-based scramjet combustor

The multi-strut injector is one of the most favourable perspectives for the mixing improvement in between the hydrogen and the high-speed air, and its parametric investigation has drawn an increasing attention among the researchers. Hence the flow-field aspects of a particular multi-strut based scramjet combustor have been investigated numerically with the addition of four wall injectors and at the same time, the influence of combination of different strut as well as wall injector scheme on the performance of multi-strut scramjet engine has also been explored. Moreover, the current computational approach has been validated against the experimental data present in the open literature in case of single strut scramjet engine. The attained results reveal that the collaboration of multi-strut along with 2 wall injectors' improves the efficiency of scramjet as compared to other multi-strut + wall injection scheme as this combination achieve higher penetration height which will boost to a wider temperature and robust combustion area adjacent to the wall. Again, the appearance of extra H2 in the separated flow region precisely ahead of the wall injection region is mainly reasonable for the abrupt decrease in the mixing as well combustion efficiency plot in all the multi-strut + wall injection strategy.

Large Eddy Simulation of the fuel transport and mixing process in a scramjet combustor with rearwall-expansion cavity

Large Eddy Simulation (LES) was employed to investigate the fuel/oxidizer mixing process in an ethylene fueled scramjet combustor with a rearwall-expansion cavity. The numerical solver was first validated for an experimental flow, the DLR strut-based scramjet combustor case. Shock wave structures and wall-pressure distribution from the numerical simulations were compared with experimental data and the numerical results were shown in good agreement with the available experimental data. Effects of the injection location on the flow and mixing process were then studied. It was found that with a long injection distance upstream the cavity, the fuel is transported much further into the main flow and a smaller subsonic zone is formed inside the cavity. Conversely, with a short injection distance, the fuel is entrained more into the cavity and a larger subsonic zone is formed inside the cavity, which is favorable for ignition in the cavity. For the rearwall-expansion cavity, it is suggested that the optimized ignition location with a long upstream injection distance should be in the bottom wall in the middle part of the cavity, while the optimized ignition location with a short upstream injection distance should be in the bottom wall in the front side of the cavity. By employing a cavity direct injection on the rear wall, the fuel mass fraction inside the cavity and the local turbulent intensity will both be increased due to this fueling, and it will also enhance the mixing process which will also lead to increased mixing efficiency. For the rearwall-expansion cavity, the combined injection scheme is expected to be an optimized injection scheme.

Experimental study on combustion mode transition effects in a strut-based scramjet combustor

A strut-based scramjet combustor was operated in three different combustion modes under Mach 2.5 inflow conditions, scramjet mode, weak ramjet mode, and strong ramjet mode. The combustion mode transition effects are investigated through ground experiments. The scramjet mode occurred below the overall fuel equivalence ratio of around 0.44. Transition from the scramjet mode to the weak ramjet mode occurred at ER ∼ 0.44, accompanied by a sudden increase in thrust. By contrast, transition from the weak ramjet mode to strong ramjet mode occurred at ER ∼ 0.6125, accompanied by a sudden decrease in thrust. In particularly, combustion mode transitions significantly change the dominant characteristics of the flow field.

Parametric effects on the combustion flow field of a typical strut-based scramjet combustor

The flame-holding mechanism in hypersonic propulsion technology is the most important factor in prolonging the duration time of hypersonic vehicles. The two-dimensional coupled implicit Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations, the shear-stress transport k-ω turbulence model and the finite-rate/eddy-dissipation reaction models were used to simulate the combustion flow field of a typical strut-based scramjet combustor. We investigated the effects of the hydrogen-air reaction mechanism and fuel injection temperature and pressure on the parametric distributions in the combustor. The numerical results show qualitative agreement with the experimental data. The hydrogen-air reaction mechanism makes only a slight difference in parametric distributions along the walls of the combustor, and the expansion waves and shock waves exist in the combustor simultaneously. Furthermore, the expansion wave is formed ahead of the shock wave. A transition occurs from the shock wave to the normal shock wave when the injection pressure or temperature increases, and the reaction zone becomes broader. When the injection pressure and temperature both increase, the waves are pushed out of the combustor with subsonic flows. When the waves are generated ahead of the strut, the separation zone is formed in double near the walls of the combustor because of the interaction of the shock wave and the boundary layer. The separation zone becomes smaller and disappears with the disappearance of the shock wave. Because of the horizontal fuel injection, the vorticity is generated near the base face of the strut, and this region is the main origin for turbulent combustion.