An Investigation into the Performance Characteristics of a Solid Fuel SCRAMJET Propulsion Device

Abstract : An investigation was conducted to evaluate the performance qualities of a supersonic ramjet propulsion device (SCRAMJET) using a solid fuel. The fuel grains were fabricated from Plexiglas and were cylindrical, with an axisymmetric, circular perforation that diverged in the downstream direction. A small amount of hydrogen gas was required in an initial recirculation zone in order to sustain combustion. With Combustor inlet conditions of 150 psia, 1000 R, and a Mach number of 1.5, a combustor exit Mach number of approximately 1.4 was maintained. Due to poor mixing conditions, the combustion efficiency of the solid fuel only 57%.