Numerical Investigation of Hydrogen-fuelled Scramjet Combustor with Cavity Flame Holder

  • Malsur Dharavath Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad
  • P. Manna Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad
  • Debasis Chakraborty Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad
Keywords: Supersonic combustion ramjet, scramjet combustor, cavity flame holder

Abstract

Reacting flow field of a cavity-based hydrogen-fuelled supersonic combustion ramjet (scramjet) combustor has been explored numerically. 3-D RANS equations are solved alongwith k-ε turbulence model and infinitely fast rate kinetics for combustion. The flow field inside the flame holding cavity and its effect on the mixing and reaction are explored in detail by performing simulations of two different combustors (with and without cavities) for which elaborate surface pressure measurements are available for reacting and non-reacting flows. Simulations capture all the finer details of the flow field and good match between computed surface pressures experimental values for different equivalence ratios forms the basis of further analysis. The cavity of the combustor behaves as an open cavity for both non-reacting and reacting flow-even though the flow patterns inside the cavity are quite different for both the cases. Flame-holding cavities are seen to augment mixing and reaction in small sized combustors.

Defence Science Journal, Vol. 64, No. 5, September 2014, pp.417-425, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.5191

Author Biographies

Malsur Dharavath, Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad
Mr Malsur Dharavath obtained his ME (Aerospace Engineering) from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru and is working as a Scientist at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad. He has about 8 journal papers and 9 conference papers to his credit. His research areas include : High-speed reacting and non-reacting flows in missile propulsion including tip-to-tail simulation of hypersonic airbreathing cruise vehicle, scramjet propulsion system, combustion modelling, free-and confined -supersonic jets.
P. Manna, Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad
Dr P. Manna obtained his PhD (Thermal Science and Engineering) from IIT, Kharagpur. Presently he is working as a Scientist in the Directorate of Computational Dynamics, DRDL, Hyderabad. He has published 12 papers and 20 conference publications in the national and international journalsl. His research interests include: CFD, propulsion, heat transfer, and high-speed reacting flow.
Debasis Chakraborty, Defence Research & Development Laboratory, Hyderabad
Dr Debasis Chakraborty obtained his PhD (Aerospace Engineering) from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru. Presently, he is working as Technology Director, Computational Dynamics (DOCD), DRDL, Hyderabad. He was the Guest Editor of special issue of Defence Science Journal on CFD. His research areas includes: CFD, aerodynamics, high-speed combustion and propulsion. He has about 140 journal and conference papers to his credit.
Published
2014-09-01
How to Cite
Dharavath, M., Manna, P., & Chakraborty, D. (2014). Numerical Investigation of Hydrogen-fuelled Scramjet Combustor with Cavity Flame Holder. Defence Science Journal, 64(5), 417-425. https://doi.org/10.14429/dsj.64.5191
Section
Applied Physics & Fluid Dynamics

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