Flow field characteristics analysis and combustion modes classification for a strut/cavity dual-mode combustor

Experimental and numerical study of a strut/cavity dual-mode combustor has been conducted in this paper. Under different fuel equivalence ratio and allocation proportion conditions, the pressure distribution and flow field structure of combustor show distinct characteristics. For strut fuel injecting at a low equivalence ratio, the luminosity images show that combustion zone distributes in the shear layer behind the strut. The wall fuel injecting before strut would change the starting point of pressure rising. Based on the flow field structure, the dual-mode combustor operation process is classified into three combustion modes, including scramjet mode, weak ramjet mode and strong ramjet mode. Because of a strong interaction of the shock wave with the boundary layer, weak ramjet mode has a stronger isolator compression effect and higher combustion efficiency than scramjet mode. With heat release increasing, the thermal throat formation is an indication of the strong ramjet mode, which has a subsonic gap in the isolator. Further, by judging the pressure from dominant pressure sensor before the strut, the three different combustion modes could be classified. Comparing the specific impulse of combustor, it has an obvious distinction in the different combustion modes.