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Exploration of shock-induced flow dynamics and turbulence-driven combustion optimization in advanced cavity configurations of hydrogen fueled scramjet combustors

  • Shaik Shajahan , Santhosh Kumar Gugulothu EMAIL logo , Raju Muthyala , Priyanka Vudimudi and Praveen Barmavatu
Published/Copyright: March 13, 2025
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Abstract

This study investigates the impact of shockwaves induced by various combustor wall geometries – wedge, wavy wall, circular bumps, and triangular bumps – on scramjet combustor performance. Using CFD simulations in ANSYS Fluent 23.1 with RANS equations and the SST turbulence model, key parameters such as velocity, static pressure, temperature, turbulence intensity, and combustion efficiency are analyzed. Circular bumps exhibit superior performance, achieving higher turbulence intensity (42 %), enhanced fuel-air mixing, and minimized static pressure losses (8 %), optimizing supersonic flow dynamics. This geometry ensures better combustion efficiency, reducing unburned fuel and maximizing heat release. While wedge and triangular geometries improve mixing and flow stability, they are less effective than circular bumps. The wavy wall structure provides a balanced performance. The findings highlight the potential of circular bumps in advancing scramjet combustor designs, offering valuable insights for hypersonic propulsion system enhancements.


Corresponding author: Santhosh Kumar Gugulothu, Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh, Tadepalligudem, 534101, Andhra Pradesh, India, E-mail:

  1. Research ethics: The authors declare that no experiments involving human participants or animals were conducted in this study.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable for this study, as no human participants were involved.

  3. Author Contributions: All authors contributed significantly and equally to the research reported in this manuscript.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, Ai and Machine Learning Tools: Not applicable.

  5. Conflict of Interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper. The authors have no financial or personal relationships that could inappropriately influence the work presented in this paper.

  6. Research Funding: No funding received.

  7. Data Availability: All data used to support the findings of this study are included in the manuscript.

  8. Plagiaraism and Originality: The authors declare that this manuscript is their original work and has not been published elsewhere in any form. Furthermore, the manuscript is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. All sources of information are appropriately acknowledged, and no portion of this manuscript is plagiarized.

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Received: 2025-02-12
Accepted: 2025-02-26
Published Online: 2025-03-13
Published in Print: 2025-08-26

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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