Experimental Study of High-Altitude Simulation using Small-Scale Supersonic Diffuser

Experimental study was conducted on cylindrical supersonic diffuser in order to investigate the effects of the ratios of diffuser area to nozzle throat area (Ad/At), diffuser area to nozzle exit area (Ad/Ae), nozzle exit area to its throat area (Ae/At), and diffuser length to its diameter (L/D), the free volume of vacuum chamber, and the relative distance between nozzle exit and diffuser inlet on the diffuser performance. The study showed that the minimum diffuser starting pressure (Po/Pa)st increased monotonically with increase in (Ad/At) as predicted by the normal shock and momentum theory models and the volume of vacuum chamber affected vacuum pressure level during diffuser operation at lower value of (Ad/Ae). The results of this investigation will be utilized in the design of real-scale high-altitude simulation test facility.

소형 초음속 디퓨저를 이용한 고고도환경 모사에 대한 시험적 연구