Nonlinear characteristics and detection of combustion modes for a hydrocarbon fueled scramjet

•There are two different types of combustion phenomena within the ramjet mode.•The combustion mode transitions show significant nonlinear characteristic.•The pressure-magnitude-based method of detecting the combustion modes is present.

An experimental investigation of combustion mode transition in a hydrocarbon fueled scramjet combustor model is reported under Mach number 2.1 and 2.5 inflow conditions. Three different combustion modes with respect to equivalence ratio are observed, namely, scramjet mode, weak ramjet mode and strong ramjet mode. The typical features of different combustion modes are analyzed by wall-pressures and one-dimensionally estimated Mach number distributions. The processes of combustion mode transitions show significant nonlinear characteristics. The static pressure and Mach number have discontinuous sudden changes as the mode transition occurs, especially near the fuel-supply region, emphasizing the importance of detection and control of combustion modes. The nonlinear characteristics of wall-pressures near the exit of the isolator can be used in the detection of different combustion modes. A series of experiments prove that this pressure-magnitude-based detection technique is feasible.