How

a Scramjet Engine Works

Mischael Joseph
English 202C
6/12/2015

Introduction

There are many advanced engines today that are produced for various
aircraft, but the fastest of them all is a scramjet engine. You will have
read about the turbofan engine and the ramjet engine, but this guide
will provide you with a basic understanding of how the fastest type of
supersonic engine functions. This guide will take you through the key
components of a scramjet engine, the role of these components in the
overall process, and how all these components interface with one
another in order to generate thrust.

Scramjet engines enable aircraft to operate at supersonic speeds and
can one day revolutionize the way we travel. A scramjet (Supersonic
Combustion Ramjet) is an engine with no moving parts, in which the
combustion process occurs at supersonic speeds. A scramjet engine
is able to reach Mach numbers that no other engine possibly can.
Theoretical projections indicate that the top speed of a scramjet can
be between Mach 12(8,400 mph) and Mach 24(16,000 mph). A
scramjets design is mechanically simple, but vastly more
aerodynamically complex than a conventional jet engine.

The flow path through a scramjet engine functions similarly to a
typical jet engine by using a thermodynamic cycle. The air is
compressed, afterward combustion occurs, and, finally, the products
from the combustion are expanded and exhausted from the engine
creating thrust to propel the aircraft. These three steps are carried
out by three major engine components: a converging inlet, a
combustion chamber, and a diverging nozzle. These components can
be seen in Figure 1.

To fully understand how a scramjet
engine functions, we will examine the
engine from front to back, following the
path that air passing through the engine
takes. Each of the three major
components will be discussed in the order
they are used. By outlining each
component of the scramjet and explaining
how it interacts with the other
components, we will gain an
understanding of each part separately as
well as an understanding of the engine as
a whole.

Supersonic- an aircraft the

moves faster than the speed of
sound, i.e. above 768mph
Mach Number- used to indicate
a bodys motion in relation to the
speed of sound, ex. Mach 2
equals twice as fast as the speed
of sound

Thrust- the propulsive force of a

jet engine, pushing it forward

Figure 1.

Scramjet Engine

The Function of a Scramjet Engine

Figure 2 is a sketch of a scramjet cross section. In this side view, the
components or stations have been labeled. The air travels through the
engine from left to right, starting at
the inlet and progressing towards
Shockwaves
the exhaust nozzle. The components
and what occurs at each station are
described in detail below.

Figure 2.

Scramjet Engine diagram

Inlet

The inlet is where the freestream air
is allowed to flow into the engine. A major difference between a
scramjet and other jet engines is that a scramjet relies on a vehicle
traveling at high speed to forcefully compress the incoming air before
combustion. To be more specific, the vehicle must be traveling at a
supersonic speed, i.e. above Mach 1, after which the scramjet engine
can activate. Therefore, an inlet can be considered as a diffuser,
where the compression of the freestream air takes place. This
compression is caused by a series of shock waves as a result of the
pressure increasing after every shock. The first of these shockwaves
is the oblique shock as shown in Figure 2. This is much different from
conventional turbojet and turbofan engines that use fans to compress
the air.

The consequence of this is the fact that a scramjet cannot produce
thrust at zero airspeed; in other words an aircraft with only scramjet
cannot move from a standstill. Therefore, a scramjet-powered vehicle
needs assistance to takeoff and to accelerate to a speed where the
scramjet can then operate. In May 2013, a flight-test of the X-51A
Waverider was conducted where the waverider was first accelerated
by a rocket engine which separated before the scramjet engine came
into effect.

Combustor

The Combustor is a stationary chamber at the core of the engine
where the combustion between freestream air and fuel takes place.

Figure 3.

Scramjet Engine Inlet

Diffuser- device that redirects

air in various directions
Shock wave sharp change in
pressure caused by an object
going faster than sound

The combustor is directly downstream of the inlet and upstream of

the nozzle. The purpose of the combustor is the addition of energy to
the supersonic airflow via heat addition. The combustion occurs at
supersonic speeds that are difficult to accomplish and have had many
different configurations and designs by many companies and research
groups.

Within the combustor, fuel is injected and mixed with the air. The
fuel-air mixture is then ignited, creating a rapid increase in
temperature and energizing the flow, propelling it rearward towards
the nozzle. The fuel most commonly used in scramjet engines is
hydrogen. This liquid hydrogen is extremely flammable and a good
coolant for different parts of the vehicle. The only product from the
combustion of hydrogen is water vapor, which is much cleaner
compared to the carbon monoxide (CO) or carbon dioxide (CO2) of
conventional engines.

What differs a scramjet from a ramjet is that a ramjet decelerates the
air to a subsonic speed before combustion, but in a scramjet the air
flows through the entire engine at supersonic.

Figure 4.

Scramjet engine nozzle

Nozzle

At the rear of the engine is the nozzle, which is a divergent duct that
is used to accelerate the supersonic flow and at the same time expand
it. The process of expanding the flow converts the potential energy of
the combusting flow to kinetic energy, which as a result produces
thrust. The speed at which the air expands and flows out of the engine
depends on the shape and geometry of the duct.

Some other possible shapes of the nozzle may be convergent or
convergent-divergent. A convergent-divergent nozzle enables the jet
to accelerate to supersonic speeds, where as the convergent nozzle
cannot accelerate beyond sonic speed, i.e. the speed of sound.

Diverge- to move in
different directions from a
common point
Figures 5.

Divergent duct

Summary

The above thermodynamic cycle can be broken down into steps as

follows:

1. Freestream air is compressed via shock waves.
2. The compressed air then enters the combustion chamber
where it is mixed with fuel and ignited adding heat energy.
3. This combusted air-fuel mixture exits through the exhaust
nozzle, generating thrust and propelling the engine and the
vehicle forward.

Figure 6.

Convergent-
divergent duct


Overall, the idea behind a scramjet engine is relatively simple: add
energy to the air flowing through the engine then use this energy in
order to create thrust.

Implications for the future

Scramjet engines are currently being tested on a select few aircraft.
These engines have yet to become mainstream but with more tests
and further development, there is no doubt that this engine will be the
means to revolutionize the way we travel. An aircraft that has this
engine could go from one point on earth to any other point in under
90 minutes.

Sources

Cover Page Figure http://www.fantastic-plastic.com/X-
43AScramjetPage.htm

Figure 1 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeradkaliher/2112060410

Figure 2
http://upcommons.upc.edu/pfc/bitstream/2099.1/20295/1/Technic
al%20Report.pdf

Figure 3 http://frpc.net.technion.ac.il/ramjet-and-scramjet-
propulsion/

Figure 4 http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1005/16waverider/

Figure 5 -
http://www.datwiki.net/page.php?id=2769&find=divergent%20duct
%20(fluid%20flow%20passage)&searching=yes

Figure 6 -
http://www.datwiki.net/page.php?id=2202&find=convergent-
divergent%20duct&searching=yes