Experimental study of chin intakes for airbreathing missiles with high agility

The performance of three chin intakes for airbreathing missiles with high agility has been investigated in a large maneuver range at supersonic speed. This experimental study is based on former studies on axially symmetrical intake models, in which losses of pressure recovery and mass flow were discovered at angles of attack greater than 18 deg. To understand these effects in more detail, chin intakes have been analyzed at a design Mach number of 3.0 at angles of attack ranging from -30 to 30 deg and at angles of sideslip ranging from -30 to 30 deg in the Trisonic Wind Tunnel. The results clearly show that boundary-layer flow, vortices, and flow separation are responsible for the losses of pressure recovery and mass flow. The subsequently added boundary-layer bleed permits a better pressure recovery and a delay of the intake buzzing.