Supersonic Combustion Flow Visualization

at Hypersonic Flow

T.V.C. Marcos, D. Romanelli Pinto, G.S. Moura, A.C. Oliveira, J.B. Chanes Jr.,
P.G.P. Toro, and M.A.S. Minucci

1 Introduction
Currently, a new generation of scientific aerospace vehicles, using advanced hy-
personic airbreathing propulsion based on supersonic combustion technology, is in
development at several research centers [1].
The 14-X Brazilian Hypersonic Aerospace Vehicle, Figure 1, designed by Rolim
et al. [2], at the Prof. Henry T. Nagamatsu Laboratory of Aerothermodynam-
ics and Hypersonics, Figure 2, at the Institute for Advanced Studies (IEAv), is
part of the continuing effort of the Department of Aerospace Science and Tech-
nology (DCTA), to develop a technological demonstrator using: i) waverider
technology to provide lift to the aerospace vehicle, and ii) scramjet technol-
ogy to provide hypersonic airbreathing propulsion system based on supersonic
combustion.

Fig. 1 14-X Hypersonic Aerospace Vehicle.

T.V.C. Marcos D. Romanelli Pinto G.S. Moura A.C. Oliveira J.B. Chanes Jr.
P.G.P. Toro M.A.S. Minucci
Prof. Henry T. Nagamatsu Laboratory of Aerothermodynamics and Hypersonics
Institute for Advanced Studies
Rodovia dos Tamoios km 5,5 12228-001 Sao Jose dos Campos, SP(BR)
1042 T.V.C. Marcos et al.

Fig. 2 T2 Hypersonic Shock Tunnel, visible at the left of the T3 Hypersonic Shock Tunnel.

Aerospace vehicle using waverider technology obtains lift using the shock
wave, formed during supersonic/hypersonic flight throught the Earths atmosphere,
which originates at the edge and it is attached to the bottom surface of the vehicle,
generating a region of high pressure, resulting in high lift and low drag [3]. Atmo-
spheric air, pre-compressed by the shock wave, which lies between the shock wave
and the leading edge of the vehicle may be used in hypersonic propulsion system
based on scramjet technology.
Hypersonic airbreathing propulsion, that uses supersonic combustion ramjet
(scramjet) technology [4], offers substantial advantages to improve performance of
aerospace vehicle that flies at hypersonic speeds through the Earths atmosphere, by
reducing on-board fuel. Basically, scramjet is a fully integrated airbreathing aero-
nautical engine that uses the oblique/conical shock waves generated during the hy-
personic flight, to promote compression and deceleration of freestream atmospheric
air at the inlet of the scramjet. Fuel, at least sonic speed, may be injected into the
supersonic airflow just downstream of the inlet. Right after, both oxygen from the
atmosphere and on-board fuel are mixing. The combination of the high energies of
the fuel and of the oncoming supersonic airflow the combustion at supersonic speed
starts. Finally, the divergent exhaust nozzle at the afterbody vehicle accelerates the
exhaust gases, creating thrust.

2 IEAv T2 Hypersonic Shock Tunnel

The development of such airbreathing propulsion system requires experiments,
those may be done in Hypersonic Shock Tunnel (pulsed hypersonic wind tunnel)
[4], which reproduces the flight conditions encountered in a scramjet engine in
flight.
The IEAv T2 Hypersonic Shock Tunnel [5], Figure 2, used for the present inves-
tigation, is capable of generating high to low enthalpy hypersonic flow conditions.
Supersonic Combustion Flow Visualization at Hypersonic Flow 1043

In the high and medium enthalpy runs, helium is used as the driver gas and the tun-
nel operates in the equilibrium interface condition to produce a useful test time of
roughly 500 s to 1.5 ms, reservoir conditions of 5,000 K to 1685 K and 120 bar
to 173 bar, respectively. In the low enthalpy case, air is used as the driver gas to
produce a useful test time of about 1.5 ms and reservoir conditions of 950 K and 25
bar. The test section airflow Mach number is 6.2 and 7.3 in the high and medium
enthalpy tests, respectively, and 7.8 in the low enthalpy ones.
In the present investigation dry air was used as a test gas. Conical nozzle, 15
degree half angle and adequate throat to obtain airflow Mach number 7 in the test
section. The different Mach numbers achieved in the test section are the result of
the different reservoir conditions and real gas effects present in the tests. The test
conditions did not vary more than 5% from run to run.

3 Supersonic Combustion Model

The conceptual design of the supersonic combustion model, Figure 3, was based
on the configuration of existing compression ramp at the inlet of scramjet of the
14-X Hypersonic Aerospace Vehicle, Figure 1. The 15 degree compression ramp
was made of stainless steel. A piezoelectric Pressure Transducer, as a pitot pressure,
was installed right above of the ramp. Therefore, the detached normal shock estab-
lished ahead of the pitot pressure will have no influence in the oblique shock wave
established at the edge of the supersonic combustion model.

Fig. 3 Supersonic combustion model installed at the T2 Hypersonic Shock Tunnel test
section.

4 Supersonic Combustion Flow Visualization Results

The supersonic combustion model (2D wedge) allows flow visualization of the com-
bustion phenomenon through the non intrusive schlieren technique. The fuel tank
volume was adequate to produce equivalence factor of 1.6.
The conventional schlieren arrangement was adopted and conceived to illuminate
most of the test-section optical windows. The test section has two 8-in. diameter
1044 T.V.C. Marcos et al.

quartz windows with a 190-mm. effective vision area. Because of the positions of
the optical tables in the laboratory, an auxiliary optical mounting was necessary to
redirect the collimated lamp beam to/from the test section and to make it possible to
fix the source light at the parabolic-mirror focus. The schlieren visualization system
is composed of a xenon flash lamp, two parabolic mirrors (8-in. diameter and 64-in.
focal length), a knife edge (razor blade), an ultrahigh speed camera (Cordin 550)
used to record the events, and an objective lens. The camera has 32 CCDs and can
capture at a maximum rate of 2,000,000 frames per second. In the present work, the
camera was set to operate at 100,000 frames per second.
For tightness and to qualify the device used to inject on-board Hydrogen gas fuel
into Mach number 7 airflow, Helium gas was inject in the quiescent gas at 80 mbar
(test section in vacuum), Figure 4, and no hypersonic airflow.
The sequence of schlieren photographs of the Mach number 7 airflow over su-
personic combustion model, Figure 5, shows the oblique shock wave attached to
the leading edge of the model as expected. Observe that there is no gas injection
in the Mach number 7 airflow. Also, oblique shock angle of 22 degree agrees with
the theoretical calculation by oblique shock theory for freestream Mach number 7
airflow.

Fig. 4 Helium gas injection in vacuum and no hypersonic airflow.

Fig. 5 Sequence of schlieren photographs of the Mach number 7 airflow over supersonic
combustion model and no on-board Hydrogen gas injection.
Supersonic Combustion Flow Visualization at Hypersonic Flow 1045

Fig. 6 Schlieren photography of on-board Hydrogen gas injected into Mach number 7 airflow
over supersonic combustion model.

The schlieren photography of the on-board Hydrogen gas injection into Mach
number 7 airflow shows a small increase in the slope of the shock wave after the
region of Hydrogen gas injection, Figure 6, which may be the result of heat release,
resulting in a decrease of Mach number in the region.
However, since the schlieren photographs obtained during the test with on-board
Hydrogen gas injection were quite similar to the schlieren photographs of the Mach
number 7 airflow over supersonic combustion model without gas injection, an ob-
stacle was added in the supersonic combustion model to create a high temperature
stagnant region to increase the probability to start the combustion.
Again, the sequence of schlieren photographs of the Mach number 7 airflow over
supersonic combustion model, Figure 7, shows not only the 22 degree oblique shock
angle attached to the leading edge of the model, but also the interaction of the com-
pressed supersonic airflow, by the oblique shock wave, and the obstacle (located
downstream of the Hydrogen gas injection).

Fig. 7 Sequence of schlieren photographs of the Mach number 7 airflow over supersonic
combustion model, with no gas injection.
1046 T.V.C. Marcos et al.

Fig. 8 Sequence of schlieren photographs of the Mach number 7 airflow over supersonic
combustion model and the injection of the on-board Hydrogen gas.

As expected, after place the barrier (obstacle) in front of the supersonic airflow,
resulting in a stagnation point and in a significant rise in temperature. The exact
moment when the on-board Hydrogen gas injected into airflow the schlieren pho-
tographs, Figure 8, show the rapid expansion of mixed gas. Also, this sequence
of schlieren photographs shows the time when the shock wave is formed and it is
destroyed by the combustion, of the mixed Hydrogen gas and the Oxygen from the
supersonic airflow.

5 Conclusion
Supersonic combustion using a 2D model (wedge), based on the compression ramp
of the 14-X Brazilian Hypersonic Aerospace Vehicle, has been experimentally in-
vestigated at the T2 Hypersonic Shock Tunnel, at the Prof. Henry T. Nagamatsu
Laboratory Aerothermodynamics and Hypersonics, at the Institute for Advanced
Studies. Schlieren photographs, of the combustion of the mixed Oxygen from the su-
personic airflow and the on-board Hydrogen gas, show the destruction of the oblique
shock wave right at the time when the on-board Hydrogen gas injected meets Oxy-
gen from the supersonic airflow.

References
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Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, AIAA 2009-7433
(2009)
Supersonic Combustion Flow Visualization at Hypersonic Flow 1047

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