Propulsion integration for low-boom supersonic aircraft requires careful inlet selection, placement, and tailoring to achieve acceptable propulsive and aerodynamic performance, without compromising vehicle sonic boom loudness levels. In this investigation, an inward-turning streamline-traced inlet and an axisymmetric spike inlet are designed and independently installed on a conceptual low-boom supersonic demonstrator aircraft. The airframe is preshaped to achieve a target ground undertrack perceived loudness of 76.4 dB at cruise using an adjoint-based design optimization process. Aircraft and inlet performance characteristics are obtained by solution of the steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. Isolated inlet cruise performance including total pressure recovery and distortion are computed and compared against installed inlet performance metrics. Vehicle near-field pressure signatures, along with under- and offtrack propagated loudness levels, are also reported. Results indicate the integrated axisymmetric spike design offers higher inlet pressure recovery, lower fan distortion, and reduced sonic boom. The vehicle with the streamline-traced inlet exhibits lower external wave drag, which translates to a higher lift-to-drag ratio and increased range capability.


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    Title :

    Inlet Trade Study for a Low-Boom Aircraft Demonstrator



    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2017




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English



    Classification :

    BKL:    55.50 Luftfahrzeugtechnik / 55.50
    Local classification TIB:    770/7040



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