HYBRID COWL LEADING EDGE FOR HYPERSONIC FLIGHT SYSTEMS

ENGINE INLETS FOR HYPERSONIC VEHICLES ARE CRITICAL TECHNOLOGY AREAS BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBLE OCCURANCE OF SHOCKWAVE IMPINGEMENT, THE NEED FOR SHARP LEADING EDGE RADII AND THE REQUIREMENT OF MULTIMISSION USE. THIS STUDY PROPOSES THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN ENGINE INLET LEADING EDGE CONCEPT THAT CAN ACCOMMODATE THE HIGH HEAT FLUXES INDUCED BY HYPERSONIC ASCENT/REENTRY HEATING AND THE OCCURANCE OF AUGMENTED HEATING INDUCED BY THE IMPINGEMENT OF A FOREBODY-GENERATED SHOCKWAVE. THE DESIGN IS BASED ON A HYBRID CONCEPT THAT UTILIZES BOTH TRANSPIRATION AND INTERNAL IMPINGEMENT COOLING TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUT OF COOLANT THAT IS INJECTED INTO THE EXTERNAL BOUNDARY LAYER THAT COULD OTHERWISE BE USED IN THE PROPULSION SYSTEM. INNOVATIVE DESIGN AND MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION METHODS ARE USED TO GENERATE A LEADING EDGE WITH THE STRENGTH AND INTERNAL POROSITY NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE THE AEROHEATING AND STRUCTURAL LOADS.