Showing How Air Mass Capture of a Scramjet Can be Increased by Laser Energy Deposition
D-K. Wang, Y-J. Hong and Q. Li
High-repetition rate laser energy was deposited upstream of the cowl lip to generate a virtual cowl to increase the mass flow ratio (MFR) of scramjet inlet in the condition of Mach number lower than the designed value. A second order accurate scheme based on the finite volume method and domain decomposition of the structural grid was used. The influence of laser energy deposition position on the inlet performance was studied. The mechanisms of the formation and effects of the virtual cowl are disclosed. The results indicate that the position optimized laser energy deposition increases the MFR factor from 63 to 97%, by which the high efficiency of virtual cowl is proved. Method for the optimization of the laser energy deposition position is presented.
Keywords: Scramjet, inlet, virtual cowl, mass flow ratio (MFR), high repetition rate, laser, energy deposition