Three-dimensional combustion numerical simulation of scramjet internal and external flow fields

The coupling flow fields between internal combustion and external flow of a kerosene-fueled scramjet model were simulated by three-dimensional numerical methods. Good agreements between computation and experiments results are obtained for wall static pressure distributions of the combustor, of which the average relative error is 4.9%, validating that the numerical scheme employed is reliable. Results show that the combustion process of internal flow field is affected by air mass flow captured in the external flow field, and it in return influences the external shock wave structure. The pressure relief holes play a significant role in keeping mass flow matching between different components of the scramjet. In addition, flow filed near the first set of injectors was found asymmetric, due to the interaction between shock wave and boundary layer in the inlet as well as the oblique shock wave induced by the pressure relief holes there.