.

A -UW-UL~U UL WLU niuiuru ~ v u v v u t :

and Space Technology Institute '

UrQzl. &-Connecticut, Aug. 4-5, 1W5

F l i g h t of an object through t h e atmosphere a t high s p e e d - i s e q d v a l e n t

t o having a i r f l o w p a s t t h e object a t the same speed. The ramjet u t i l i z e s
t h e r e l a t i v e v e l o c i t y of t h e engine through t h e atmosphere t o produce thrust.
The k i n e t i c energy of t h e flowing a i r i s converted t o a s u b s t a n t i a l pressure
r i s e through t h e d i f f u s e r . Heat i s then added ( f u e l plus combustion) and
t h e hot high pressure flow i s re-expanded t o f r e e stream s t a t i c pressure. The
t h r u s t of t h e ramjet i s then

T =m ueX(i + f-I - uo]

'[
ts)
10
N
N
I4
m i s t h e mass flow r a t e through t h e d i f f u s e r , Uex i s t h e j e t speed a t f r e e
stream s t a t i c pressure, Uo i s the f l i g h t speed, f/a is t h e f u e l - a i r r a t i o ,
P t h e f r e e stream density and A t h e stream tube cross s e c t i o n a l area.

The one dimensional flow r e l a t i o n s f o r pressure, temperature, and Mach

number are
/

and

(3)

Where P and T a r e stagnation pressure and temperature and p and t a r e

s t a t i c values; M i s t h e Mach number and Y is the r a t i o of s p e c i f i c heats.

For an i d e a l ramjet w i t h no losses and no change i n f l u i d properties,

both t h e t o t a l and s t a t i c pressures of t h e f r e e stream w i l l equal those of t h e
expanded exhaust flow. Hence from equation ( 2 ) t h e exhaust Mach numbers w i l l
equal t h e f r e e stream Mach nunibers and from equation (3)

T
ex
7 z - z -
TO t0

but

u,=-
I

(6)

I f there are l o s s e s through t h e engine due e i t h e r t o poor d i f f u s i o n and

f r i c t i o n or due t o t h e heat a d d i t i o n processes, t h e t o t a l pressure of t h e
exhaust w i l l be less than t h a t of t h e f r e e stream even though t h e s t a t i c
pressures a r e the same. For equal s t a t i c pressures a t t h e exhaust and i n t h e
free stream, a p p l i c a t i o n of equation ( 2 ) y i e l d s

(7)

Also
-
Y-1

by successive use of equations ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) . Thus, from ( 7 ) and ( 8 ) :

Hence from equation (1)t h e ramjet thrust i s

(10)

c -
Equation 10 of course, reduces t o equation ( 6 ) under conditions of no Loss i n
t o t a l pressure.
 For t h e subsonic combustion ramjet f l y i n g a t a given s e t of ambient
conditions, t h e s t a t i c temperature and pressure Qf t G f l o w e n t e r i n g t h e
combustion chamber increase r a p i d l y with Mach number. The following t a b l e
includes t h e stagnation temperature and pressure r a t i o s f o r d i s c r e t e Mach
numbers as w e l l as t h e s t a t i c temperatures and pressures f o r combustion
chamber entrance Mach numbers of 0.2 and 1.0.
-
Stagnat .on CombuE tch CDmbustion Mach
Conditi )ns NumbE ? Number = 1.0

-
Mo
1 1.895 1.2 1.84 1.19 .0 .338
2 7.82 1.8 7.60 1.78 .571 1.69
3 36.7 2.8 35.7 2.78 1.434 4.24
4 152 4.2 147.8 4.16 3.62 80.3 3.5 10.7
5 529 6.0 514 5.95 8.3 279 5.0 25
6 1580 8.2 1535 8.13 17.9 835 6.83 53
9 2 1 150 17.2 20 580 17.05 115 11 170 14.3 327
1 2 144 400 29.6 140 000 28.6 432 76 400 24.8 1276

For combustion chamber entrance Mach number 0.2, t h e s t a t i c temperatures

and pressures a r e nearly equal t o stagnation conditions. The values are
reduced by t h e Mach numbers one r a t i o f o r combustion chambers entrance Mach
~ - a ? x rcf s 1.9 conddit.inna. The r a p i d increase i n s t a t i c pressure implies
a s t r u c t u r a l requirement t o contain these pressures. The r a p i d increase i n
temperature generates extreme cooling problems as w e l l as d i f f i c u l t i e s i n
providing materials of s u f f i c i e n t s t r e n g t h and corrosion r e s i s t a n c e .

Also of i n t e r e s t i s t h e observation of t h e acute d i f f u s i o n problem i f

t h e ramjet i s t o f l y over a range of Mach numbers. I f i s e n t r o p i c d i f f u s i o n
were possible, the f r e e stream f l o w area would have t o be contracted t o t h e
sonic or minimum area r a t i o , then expanded subsonically t o t h e desired
combustion chamber entrance Vlch number. I s e n t r o p i c d i f f u s i o n f o r a range of
f l i g h t Mach numbers from 1 t o 12 would thus require t h e absurdly d i f f i c u l t
range of diffuser area r a t i o s of 1 t o 1276. The geometry v a r i a t i o n s required
a t high Mach numbers f o r t h e subsonic combzlstion ramjet t h e r e f o r e become
excessive."

Furthermore, the r i s e i n s t a t i c temperature a t t h e entrance t o t h e

combustion chamber may be s o g r e a t at hypersonic speeds f o r t h e subsonic
combustion ramjet that combustion i n the usual sense does not occur. I n j e c t i o n
of t h e f u e l might even cool off t h e stream, and many of t h e combustion r a d i c a l s
remain dissociated. The r e a c t i o n products recombine only after t h e flow has
been s u f f i c i e n t l y expanded i n t h e e f i a u s t nozzle t o lower t h e s t a t i c temperature
of t h e stream t o l e v e l s that permit the recombination reactions t o take
place. Thus, p a r t of t h e supersonic flow i n t h e d i f f u s e r , t h e subsonic
p o r t i o n of t h e d i f f u s e r , t h e combustion chamber, and the low supersonic
p o r t i o n of t h e exhaust nozzle could perhaps be eliminated from t h e engine
 4

without impairment t o t h e combustion efficiency. Such a design modification

would have the f u r t h e r e f f e c t p f eliminating many of t h e l o s s e s associated
with t h e severe diffusion requirements. However, combustion a t supersonic
speed i s required.

There w i l l be no problem of maintaining combustion i n a supersonic stream

under proper condit5ons. Hydrogen, when properly mixed with a i r , i s spontaneously
combustible a t temperatures above 1850' R. The hypersonic ramjet can e a s i l y
maintain such s t a t i c temperatures i n t h e flow even though t h e flow e n t e r i n g
t h e combustion chamber i s supersonic. Reaction distances a r e l e s s than a
f o o t , yielding reasonable combustion chamber lengths. Furthermore, a t
hypersonic f l i g h t speeds, t h e s t a t i c pressure r i s e i s s o g r e a t t h a t t h e t o t a l
pressure l o s s associated with supersonic combustion which would outlaw super-
sonic comb-.tion a t lower f l i g h t Mach numbers may no longer be c r u c i a l . The
employmerrt of supersonic combustion a c t u a l l y improves t h e o v e r a l l engine
performance a t f l i g h t speeds above about Mach 6.

With supersonic combustion, t h e entrance Mach numbers t o t h e combustion

chamber w i l l increase with f l i g h t speed. The maximum entrance Mach number i s
e s t a b l i s h e d by t h e requirement t h a t t h e s t a t i c temperature be above 1850' R.
On t h e other hand, t h e s t a t i c temperature should be kept as low as t h e
combustion process w i l l permit t o prevent d i s s o c i a t i o n and t o permit as l a r g e
a temperature r i s e as possible due t o combustion upstream of t h e exhaust
nozzle. Hence, t h e 1850° R nearly s e t s t h e minimum entrance Mach number t o
t h e combustion chamber as well.

The stagnation temperature i n t h e f r e e stream and a t t h e entrance t o t h e

combustion chamber a r e equal. Hence from equation ( 3 ) , t h e combustion chamber
s t a t i c temperature i s

or

I f we make the assumption t h a t t c = 18500 R and t o = 460' R then tc/to= 4

and t h e r e l a t i o n f o r t h e combustion chamber Mach number become

Thus a t Mo = 6, M, = 2.3; a t Yo = 1 2 , Mc = 5.7. Clearly t h e requirement t o

d i f f u s e only down t o Mach 5.7 a t Mo =: 1 2 i s much less s t r i n g e n t than t o
I
5
/

a diffuse t o Mach 1..

"he mass flow a t t h e combustion chamber entrance m u s t be t h e sane as i n

t h e f r e e stream. Hence:

Hence t h e f r e e stream t o combustion chamber area r a t i o i s

A s we have assumed, tc/to i s nearly constant and of value 4.

Hence :

A r e l a t i o n i s now required f o r the pressure recovery r a t i o . A d i f f u s e r

parameter KD i s frequently used i n Scramjet work which presumably i s nearly
independent of f l i g h t Mach number. The quantity - K D i s r e l a t e d t o k i n e t i c
energy e f f i c i e n c y and t o t a l pressure recovery r a t i o by t h e r e l a t i o n s
4

Inserting Mc
vk = KD + (1

2
- K D ) (M
! kor 5
to = 1+ (r
, - 2 1)M: E -a,"]
from equatiofi ( 1 2 ) i n t o equation (18) y i e l d s t h e following
(18)
 6

relation:

-
Y-1

For t h e s p e c i a l case where tc/to= 4, equation ( 1 9 ) becomes

Thus f o r t h e Scramjet, t h e assumption of constant s t a t i c temperature a t t h e

entrance t o the combustior, chamber and a constant value of KD i n t h e d i f f u s e r
lea.ds t o t h e conclusion that t h e pressure recovery r a t i o i n t h e d i f f u s e r i s
independent of Mach number and is constant. Hence t h e v a r i a t i o n i n required
d i f f u s e r geometry a r i s e s by equation ( 1 7 ) only through t h e Mach number r a t i o .
From equation (13), t h e Mach number r a t i o i s a slowly varying function,
changing from 0.382 f o r Mo = 6 t o 0.475 a t Mach 1 2 . The r a t i o i s 0.5 f o r
Mo = Q). These numbers suggest t h a t diffuser geometry v a r i a t i o n s of only
about 25 percent would be required f o r t h e speed range from Mach number 6 to: 1 2 .
I n c o n t r a s t , the subsonic combustion ramjet would r e q u i r e a v a r i a t i o n of
2400 percent. When t h e f a c t i s recognized t h a t constant combustion chamber
entrance s t a t i c temperature i s only t h e approximate mode of operation, constant
geometry engine may be comtemplated f o r t h e speed range from Mach 6 up t o
Mach 1 2 and above.

This mode of operation a l s o r e s u l t s i n a combustion chamber s t a t i c

pressure that i s independent of f l i g h t Mach number; both f a c t o r s i n equation
(15) are of course constant. Hence t h e s t r i n g e n t pressure loads that would be
expected f o r the subsonic combustion ramjet do not occur. I n general, f l i g h t
a t t i t u d e s a r e chosen t o give s t a t i c pressures i n t h e combustion chamber on t h e
order of one atmosphere. Hence t h e job of cooling t h e combustion chamber
s t r u c t u r e w i l l be simpler i n s p i t e of t h e severe heat t r a n s f e r r a t e .

Also of i n t e r e s t i s t h e c a l c u l a t i o n from equation ( 1 2 ) of the entrance

v e l o c i t y t o the combustion chamber.
 .
' .

7
c

.'
, or f o r t,/to = 4,

Clearly t h e velocity r a t i o increased toward u n i t y a s t h e f l i g h t speed increases,

but t h e velocity charge decreases. A t Mach 6, t h e combustion chamber v e l o c i t y
i s about 1422 f e e t per second below that of t h e f r e e stream. A t Mach 1 2 this
v e l o c i t y difference i s only 626 f e e t per second. Thus a t Mach 1 2 , t h e flow
would be decelerated from 12,000 f e e t per second down t o 11,374 f e e t per second
a t t h e entrance t o t h e combustion chamber. Burning would take place and a
stagnation pressure l o s s would occ-cl~'due t o combustion a t high speeds. The
r e s u l t i n g flow would be accelerated i n the exhaust nozzle t o t h e ultimate
exhaust j e t velocity. The performance estimates may be continued through t h e
combustion chamber and exhaust nozzle by means of one dimensional equations.
The approach i s conventional and w i l l not be continued here. The derivations
that were included a r e t o i l l u s t r a t e the e s s e n t i a l differences and advantages
of t h e supersonic combustion ramjet over t h e subsonic combustion device f o r
hypersonic f l i g h t .

I n summary, employment of supersonic combustion o f f e r s t h e promise of

i t 3 e ccx?xstinn chmber (of order one atmosphere)
(a) Vei-y r e a s o r ~ b l ep r e s s - c e s :
hence t h e s t r u c t u r a l and cooling problems a r e simplified; (b) r e l i e f from t h e
problems associated with high temperature d i s s o c i a t i o n of t h e f l u i d and
combustion problems; ( c ) r e l i e f from the severe variable geometry requirements
of t h e i n l e t and exhaust nozzle t h a t are s o c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of t h e subsonic
combustion ramjet, and ( d ) elimination of t h e s p e c i a l requirements (such as
normal shock waves) associated w i t h having both supersonic and subsonic
flow f i e l d s ; ( e ) elimination of many l o s s mechanisms through t h e simplified
d i f f u s e r requirement, and ( f ) simplification of engine design and improvement
of engine efficiency.

O f course, a t hypersonic speeds there w i l l be severe problems associated

w i t h aerodynamic heating. Cowl leading edges must be cooled. Hence they
w i l l have bluntness. For smaller s i z e engines ( 5 f t . D) t h e pressure drag
due t o t h e bow wave ahead of t h e blunt edges may be t o o g r e a t . Hence cooled
leading edges w i l l probably include sweep back t o decrease t h e pressure drag.
The r i s e of e x t e r n a l contractions and expansions i n t h e i n l e t and exhaust
nozzle design respectively a r e d e s i r e d t o minimize surfaces that must be cooled.