Experimental study on the effects of simulated flight conditions on ignition and flame stabilization in a supersonic combustor

Effects of simulated flight conditions on ignition and flame stabilization in a kerosene fueled scramjet combustor were experimentally investigated in the present paper. Simulated flight conditions were Mach 4.5 and Mach 4.0, and the isolator entrance Mach number was 2.0. Wall pressure and flame emission were made during the experiments in an attempt to better understand the combustion characteristics, air throttling was used to enhance the flame stabilization. The results showed that, the kerosene ignition was achieved successfully under the Mach 4.5 flight condition, that of Mach 4.0 flight condition was blowout before the kerosene pressure reached the max pressure. The flame in the combustor without air throttling during Mach 4.0 flight condition only existed in the cavity and near the top wall before it was blown off, that of Mach 4.5 flight condition had spread into the isolator. The flame stabilization was also only achieved under the Mach 4.5 flight condition with the aid of air throttling, the flame in the combustor with air throttling during the Mach 4.0 flight condition was blowout before the throttling air was removed. Ignition and flame stabilization were easy to be achieved under the higher flight condition. (C) 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.