Prof. Mingbo Sun

Key Laboratory of Hypersonic Technology, National University of Defense Technology,

Changsha, China

Mingbo Sun has been Professor of Aerospace Science and Technology at National University of Defense Technology in China since December 2014. His research focuses on the fluid and combustion dynamics of Scramjet engine, RBCC (Rocket-based combined cycle) engines. His expertise is in high resolution optical observation and numerical simulation of supersonic flow and combustion, with applications to scramjet combustor and RBCC combustor design. His research work covers all the procedures of the supersonic combustion, includes flow, atomization, mixing, combustion, unsteady combustion etc. He has supervised and co-supervised over 30 PhD students to a successful completion. He is also giving courses about combustion dynamics in aero-engines. He has undertaken more than 10 projects as project leader. He has published more than 200 articles and 7 books and been granted 30 Chinese patents. He received the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars in 2019, the Science and Technology Award for Chinese Youth in 2020 and Qiushi Outstanding Youth Award in 2022. 

Website: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ming_Bo_Sun

Title: The recent research progress of supersonic combustion unsteadiness and its active control 

Abstract：Supersonic combustion process in a scramjet engine has been investigated widely for decades. With digging deeper into the supersonic combustion issues, the hot spot of supersonic combustion studies has been shifted gradually from quasi-steady state such as flame stabilizations to unsteady state such as combustion fluctuations. Nowadays, unsteady supersonic combustion and its control strategy become a challenge for real scramjet engine applications. This report gives a comprehensive review on five typical unsteady supersonic combustion phenomena, which include acoustic oscillation in scramjet engines, combustion instability induced by flow unsteadiness, ignition, flame flashback, and flame behaviors near blowoff limits. The recent research progress on these issues conducted in NUDT has been overviewed. Fundamental mechanisms of the typical unsteady supersonic combustion are discussed, and some established models and active control strategies, such as laser ignition, gliding arc discharge and injection active adjustment are given. Finally, suggestions for further conducting unsteady supersonic combustion investigations are proposed.