A Review of Hypersonic Vehicle Engine Optimization

Supersonic combustion within hypersonic aircraft is an area of research with great potential in the modern world. With improvements in hypersonics, aircraft will be able to travel at relatively high speeds compared to contemporary aircraft and have the potential to benefit both military and civilian organizations greatly. Hypersonic vehicles must utilize supersonic combustion in engines with maximum efficiency at speeds above Mach 3 to provide sufficient thrust. Based on previous research, some possible difficulties facing hypersonic vehicle engines are inlet efficiency, nozzle performance, and supersonic combustion stabilization. Inlet efficiency must be optimized to decrease the effects of shock losses and spillage drag. Since nozzle performance influences interactions between exhaust flow and airflow around the vehicle, poor performance can induce drag losses that occur at the trailing edge of the engine. Supersonic combustion encounters issues with flame stabilization and chemical reaction timing, both essential components of fuel efficiency and thrust control within the engine. This paper outlines progress towards solutions to these difficulties by following the flow through the whole engine, intending to inform future studies on whole engine optimization.