Keywords
scramjet, solid fuel, numerical simulation, PMMA, StarCCM+, RANS
Subject Categories
Aerospace Engineering | Propulsion and Power
Abstract
A simplified steady RANS-based numerical study of reacting flow in solid-fuel scramjet combustors is presented to evaluate the ability of commercial CFD frameworks to reproduce key features observed in experimental test sections. The work focuses on solid PMMA fuel in two supersonic combustor configurations: a cavity-assisted flameholding combustor and a variable-angle diverging combustor. The cavity combustor is analyzed as a baseline case and results are compared directly with experimental data. Three combustor geometry states corresponding to ignition, early-burning, and steady-burning conditions are investigated. Meshes are assessed through a systematic grid refinement method to establish grid independence. A novel variable-angle diverging combustor case is simulated prior to experimental testing to assess experimental feasibility and predict bulk flow properties at varying divergence angles and fuel mass flow rates. The simulation results include wall pressure, Mach number, temperature, chemical species, combustion efficiency, and thrust. The cavity combustor simulations reproduced wall pressure and thrust trends observed experimentally, while the variable-angle diverging combustor results support the feasibility of the proposed test-section design and predict bulk flow trends consistent with similar combustor configurations. This study demonstrates a practical modeling pathway for rapid facility and combustor design iteration while identifying limitations associated with steady RANS assumptions and simplified chemical kinetics.
Completion Date
2026
Semester
Summer
Committee Chair
Ahmed, Kareem
Degree
Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (M.S.M.E.)
College
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Format
Document Type
Thesis
Language
English
STARS Citation
Bassett, Hunter, "Numerical Investigation of Reacting Flow in PMMA-Fueled Solid Fuel Scramjet Combustors Under Experimental Test Conditions" (2026). Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026. 233.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/gradstudies_etd_2026/233
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