The characteristics and design of hypersonic inlets/intakes for airbreathing launch-vehicle engines

This project considers the selection and design of hypersonic inlets (also called intakes) for airbreathing spaceplane engines. The development of such engines would mitigate important problems in conventional rocketry – particularly the need for the vehicle to carry a heavy oxidiser load. This, in turn, could herald the arrival of cost-effective horizontal take-off and landing spaceplanes and result in a step change in the cost of access to orbit. The air-intake or inlet section of such an engine is critical to its overall operation and performance. However, many intake designs occur in the literature, and no definitive universal guide exists which outlines their selection, design protocols and comparative performance in specific applications. To provide such a guide is the overall aim of this project. The report presents a systematic approach to the subject. It starts with a thorough literature review which leads to a comprehensive classification of inlet types. This is followed by a detailed outline of individual intakes, including their history, advantages, disadvantages and applications. The theory applicable to their design is then covered and a comprehensive design method is outlined for each type. Finally, an example model design and simulation are presented. All the key inlets are covered - including both planar and axisymmetrical types. The models produced as part of the project show an excellent correlation with results published in the peer-reviewed literature.