Simulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tube

Expansion tubes are the only type of ground test facility currently able to simulate high Mach number scramjet test flows. These access-to-space flow conditions are characterised by total pressures of the order of gigapascals. The University of Queensland's X2 expansion tube facility has recent...

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Main Authors: Gildfind, D, Morgan, R, McGilvray, M, Jacobs, P
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2012
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author Gildfind, D
Morgan, R
McGilvray, M
Jacobs, P
author_facet Gildfind, D
Morgan, R
McGilvray, M
Jacobs, P
author_sort Gildfind, D
collection OXFORD
description Expansion tubes are the only type of ground test facility currently able to simulate high Mach number scramjet test flows. These access-to-space flow conditions are characterised by total pressures of the order of gigapascals. The University of Queensland's X2 expansion tube facility has recently been used to generate scramjet flow conditions between Mach 10-14, with total pressures up to 10 GPa. Flow conditions were relevant to a 96 kPa dynamic pressure ascent trajectory. For ground testing of sub-scale scramjet-powered vehicles, pressure-length (p-L) scaling is used in order to maintain similarity for various flight parameters, such as Reynolds number, total enthalpy, and binary reaction rates. X2 was configured to achieve test flow static pressures considerably higher than the true flight values, while maintaining true flight velocities and temperatures, thereby demonstrating significant potential for p-L scaling, which is typically necessary since most model scramjet engines need to be tested at sub-scale. This paper details the combined analytical and numerical process used to develop new flow conditions in X2. Experimental results are presented for four new flow conditions, and axisymmetric CFD analysis is used to fully characterise test flow properties. © 2012 by David E. Gildfind.
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spelling oxford-uuid:10b71290-6ff3-4f6a-a742-8b46eb91a6fa2022-03-26T09:57:52ZSimulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tubeJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:10b71290-6ff3-4f6a-a742-8b46eb91a6faEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2012Gildfind, DMorgan, RMcGilvray, MJacobs, PExpansion tubes are the only type of ground test facility currently able to simulate high Mach number scramjet test flows. These access-to-space flow conditions are characterised by total pressures of the order of gigapascals. The University of Queensland's X2 expansion tube facility has recently been used to generate scramjet flow conditions between Mach 10-14, with total pressures up to 10 GPa. Flow conditions were relevant to a 96 kPa dynamic pressure ascent trajectory. For ground testing of sub-scale scramjet-powered vehicles, pressure-length (p-L) scaling is used in order to maintain similarity for various flight parameters, such as Reynolds number, total enthalpy, and binary reaction rates. X2 was configured to achieve test flow static pressures considerably higher than the true flight values, while maintaining true flight velocities and temperatures, thereby demonstrating significant potential for p-L scaling, which is typically necessary since most model scramjet engines need to be tested at sub-scale. This paper details the combined analytical and numerical process used to develop new flow conditions in X2. Experimental results are presented for four new flow conditions, and axisymmetric CFD analysis is used to fully characterise test flow properties. © 2012 by David E. Gildfind.
spellingShingle Gildfind, D
Morgan, R
McGilvray, M
Jacobs, P
Simulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tube
title Simulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tube
title_full Simulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tube
title_fullStr Simulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tube
title_full_unstemmed Simulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tube
title_short Simulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the X2 expansion tube
title_sort simulation of high mach number scramjet flow conditions using the x2 expansion tube
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