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Drag force on quasi-axisymmetric scramjets at various flight Mach numbers: theory and experiment

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Abstract

The net axial force on a non-fuelled quasi-axisymmetric scramjet model designed for operation at Mach 6 was measured in the T4 Stalker tube at The University of Queensland using a single-component stress wave force balance. The design used was a variant of a model that was tested previously at Mach 6. The new model was equipped with a modified thrust nozzle that was designed to improve the performance of the nozzle. Tests were performed to measure the drag force on the model for Mach 6, Mach 8 and Mach 10 shock tunnel nozzles for a range of flow conditions. The nozzle-supply enthalpy was varied from 3 to 10 MJ/kg and the nozzle-supply pressure from 35 to 45 MPa. For the test model, the drag coefficient increased with increasing nozzle-supply enthalpy. The test results are compared with a force prediction method based on simple hypersonic theories and three-dimensional CFD. The test results are in good agreement with the predictions over the wide range of conditions tested. The re-designed model has a more efficient nozzle but this comes at the expense of increased drag associated with the modifications required for the cowl. The results indicate that this type of vehicle design is not likely to be suitable for flight above Mach 8.

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Abbreviations

A 1 :

Intake capture area

A 2 :

Cross sectional area of a combustion chamber

C :

Constant: 0.332 flat plate, 0.576 conical

C f ·p :

Constant (flat plate) : 0.332 laminar, 0.0296 turbulent

C cone :

Constant (conical body) : 0.576 laminar, 0.0348 turbulent

C D :

Drag coefficient

c p :

Specific heat at constant pressure

c f :

Local skin friction coefficient

D :

Measured axial force, N

f :

Calibration factor

g(t):

Impulse response function from the system

M :

Free stream Mach number

n :

Constant: 0.5 laminar, 0.2 turbulent

p :

Pressure, kPa

R :

Specific gas constant, J/(kg K)

Re :

Reynolds number

s :

Entropy at free stream condition

T :

Temperature, K

U :

Free stream velocity, m/s

u(t):

Single input to the system

u :

Local free stream velocity, m/s

y(t):

Output from the system

ρ :

Free stream density, kg/m3

γ :

Ratio of specific heats

μ :

Viscosity, kg/(s m)

θ :

Momentum thickness

^ :

Sweep angle, degree

max:

Maximum value

p :

Pitot

s :

Nozzle supply

x :

Coordinate along main flow direction

1:

Entrance to intake

2:

Entrance to combustion chamber

c :

Combustion chamber

e :

Edge of boundary layer

w :

Wall

f · p :

Flat plate

cone:

Cone

*:

Reference condition

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Mechanical Engineering, Centre for Hypersonics, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, Australia

    Katsuyoshi Tanimizu, David J. Mee, Raymond J. Stalker & Peter A. Jacobs

Authors
  1. Katsuyoshi Tanimizu
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  2. David J. Mee
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  3. Raymond J. Stalker
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  4. Peter A. Jacobs
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Correspondence to Katsuyoshi Tanimizu.

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Communicated by R.R. Boyce.

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Tanimizu, K., Mee, D.J., Stalker, R.J. et al. Drag force on quasi-axisymmetric scramjets at various flight Mach numbers: theory and experiment. Shock Waves 19, 83–93 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00193-009-0194-x

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