Publication

Abstract : A single ramp scramjet inlet is designed for operating at a Mach number of 5.96 and studied for subsonic bubble formation due to the shock wave–boundary layer interaction (SWBL). The Navier–Stokes computational fluid dynamics equation for ideal gas condition, with two-equation k–ω shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model, is solved using the RANS solver. The inlet designed with a ramp of 38.7° generates a strong shock wave made to impinge on the cowl generates a large separation bubble. The results obtained are validated with experimental results. Further, the inlet flow characteristics are analyzed under the unsteady condition to study the motion of the shock wave, variation of subsonic bubble size, the wall surface pressure fluctuation, and effect on mass flow due to the bubble size variation. Due to the shock wave–boundary layer interaction, the mass flow rate becomes unsteady in the core flow zone of the inlet. © Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2019.