Scramjet Combustor Development: A Review

Abstract

In the development of scramjet engine, the combustor presents the most formidable problems. Combustor is the critical section due to practical constraints of suitable material, mixing and flame holding in the short span of length. The complex phenomenon of supersonic combustion involves turbulent mixing, shock interaction and heat release in supersonic flow. The flow field within the combustor of a scramjet engine is very complex and poses challenge in design and development of supersonic combustor. Sufficient and rapid fuel-air mixing to achieve the desired chemical reaction and heat release within the short residence time, minimization of stagnation pressure loss resulting in high combustion efficiency are the requirements in the design of supersonic combustor. This paper reviews the efforts in the development of supersonic combustors across the globe and details the efforts made with emphasis on fuel injection, mixing and flame stabilization schemes. Research efforts in the United States, Russia, France, Germany, Australia and Japan have been brought out and contemporary work on the subject in the above countries as well as China and India have been discussed.

Keywords: Scramjet, combustor, supersonic combustion