FLUID PHENOMENA IN SCRAMJET COMBUSTION SYSTEMS

This paper reviews important advances in understanding and predicting the behavior of scramjet combustion systems since the classic article published in this series by Antonio Ferri (1973). The review focuses o n basic fluid phenomena and is divided into three distinct sections. T he first briefly describes progress that has been made in the design a nd demonstration of practical scramjets around the world, especially i n the US, the FSU, France, and Germany. The second provides a contempo rary exposition of the aerothermodynamics of the dual-mode ramjet/scra mjet combustion system, accounting for the role of the isolator in pre venting unstart from either thermal choking or how separation due to h eat release. The third part summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding fuel-air mixing in dual-mode ramjet/scramjet combustors, esp ecially the potential of axial vorticity to increase mixing effectiven ess over that of lateral vorticity.