Flow Realization in Hypersonic Air Inlet with Spatial Compression

Abstract

The results of a numerical and experimental study of a hypersonic air inlet with spatial compression and a compact cross section of the internal channel are presented. Reducing the surface area of the channel simplifies the heat protection of the air inlet and the combustion chamber. Experimental studies were carried out in a blow-down wind tunnel for Mach numbers M∞ = 2-6. The pressure distributions on the compression surfaces and in the air inlet channel are obtained, the coefficients of the total pressure recovery and flow rate, the Mach number in the throat of the air inlet are determined. The influence of the side cheeks and of the boundary layer bleed has been found. It is determined that in a convergent air inlet significantly higher compression ratios are realized than in a two-dimensional air inlet with less drag. It was established that on the basis of solving the three-dimensional Euler equations and the boundary layer, it is possible to reliably predict the characteristics of the air inlet in off-design modes and determine the structure of the flow.