Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Award Date

2024

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department / School

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Jeffrey Doom

Abstract

Scramjet engines, or Supersonic Combustion Ramjets, are pivotal for achieving and maintaining hypersonic flight speeds. These engines leverage the high-speed airflow to compress and mix air and fuel for combustion. A significant challenge in Scramjet engine design is ensuring stable and efficient combustion within this high-speed environment. Cavity flameholders are crucial components that stabilize the combustion process by creating a subsonic region where the fuel-air mixture can ignite and sustain combustion. This research simulates this supersonic flow within the combustion chamber to accurately model and analyze the combustion dynamics. Various turbulence models, including RANS, and DES, are evaluated for their effectiveness in simulating these complex interactions. By comparing different fuel injection locations and combustion mechanisms, the study examines their impact on key performance metrics such as NOx and soot emissions, combustion stability, flame index (FI), and temperature distribution. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations provide valuable insights into the behavior of cavity flameholders, addressing the challenges of high-speed flow and extreme thermal conditions in hypersonic flight. This dissertation enhances the understanding of scramjet engine combustion processes and contributes to the design and optimization of cavity flameholders, advancing the field of hypersonic propulsion.

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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Rights Statement

In Copyright