Flow characteristics in solid fuel ramjets

Abstract

An experimental investigation of the internal ballistics of solid fuel ramjets was conducted in order to determine the effects of inlet step size, inlet velocity and wall blowing on flow characteristics behind a backward facing step inlet. It was shown that the reattachment point (zone) moves toward the step inlet with wall mass addition at a constant inlet mass flux. For a given step inlet, however, the leading edge of the reattachment zone was stationary with variations in inlet velocity. A point where the wall temperature and centerline static pressure profiles leveled off simultaneously was defined as the end of the reattachment zone. This zone spread out (grew thicker) both with increasing inlet velocity for a given step size, and with increasing step height. Maximum wall temperatures occurred downstream of the reattachment zone.