An analytical theory of heated duct flows in supersonic combustors

• Main Authors: Chenxi Wu, Fengquan Zhong, Jing Fan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2014-01-01
• Series: Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Letters
• Subjects: duct flow with heating; self-similar solution; thermal choking; supersonic combustor
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S209503491530310X

One-dimensional analytical theory is developed for supersonic duct flow with variation of cross section, wall friction, heat addition, and relations between the inlet and outlet flow parameters are obtained. By introducing a selfsimilar parameter, effects of heat releasing, wall friction, and change in cross section area on the flow can be normalized and a self-similar solution of the flow equations can be found. Based on the result of self-similar solution, the sufficient and necessary condition for the occurrence of thermal choking is derived. A relation of the maximum heat addition leading to thermal choking of the duct flow is derived as functions of area ratio, wall friction, and mass addition, which is an extension of the classic Rayleigh flow theory, where the effects of wall friction and mass addition are not considered. The present work is expected to provide fundamentals for developing an integral analytical theory for ramjets and scramjets.