An Investigation on the Effect of Changing Bump Geometry on a 2D Supersonic Inlet

The present study investigates the utilization of a bump on a 2D supersonic inlet design operating at Mach 2.2. The primary objective is to analyze the flow characteristics on the second ramp of the intake. Different bump sizes, specifically 2 mm, 4 mm, and 6 mm, were computationally examined to assess the disparity in static pressures and efficiencies of a supersonic inlet considering a cowl angle of 1°. The observations were that the 2 mm and 4 mm sized bump resulted in minimal supersonic spillage, whereas the 6 mm exhibited highest spillage. Consequently, it is derived that an increase in the bump size beyond a certain tolerance leads to a greater occurrence of normal shock waves. Furthermore, the adoption of a 2 mm-sized bump resulted in improved total pressure recovery, with visual aids facilitating the understanding of the downstream occurrence of normal shock waves. The analysis of total pressure recovery within the flow field, utilizing the aforementioned bump of 2 mm, provides valuable data for further investigations into the development of supersonic inlets. This research parameter can play a crucial role in determining the efficiencies of inlets in similar operating environments.