Concept of Hypersonic Adaptive Variable Geometric Curved Compression Inlet

Abstract

Hypersonic inlet needs to work in a wide range of Mach numbers, such as working from Mach 4 to Mach 6, or even from Mach 3 to Mach 7. From the overall working demand of the dual mode scramjet, we hope that the inlet will keep as high as possible flow capture, lower total pressure loss and high pressure ratio under different Mach numbers so as to provide sufficient, high quality compressed air to the engine. For the compression method of curved shock wave, by making the curved compression surface of the inlet deform with the change of the Mach number (the cowl lip keeps unchanged), the curved shock wave of the external compression section is always kept in the state of being attached to the lip, or at a predetermined position to achieve the goal of controllable capture flow. It can not only make the inlet keep the high mass flow ratio, but also make the leading edge shock not break into the internal compression section to cause the boundary layer of the lip to separate. Figure 8.1 is the concept of the controllable deformed elastic surface compression inlet of this curved shock wave which is always attached to the lip.