Performance Evaluation of an Internal Osculating Waverider Inlet

A novel high-speed, shape-transitioned waverider inlet is tested at an on-design condition under Mach 6 quiet flow. The Indiana Inlet is designed for investigation of flow phenomena present in high-performing inward-turning inlets. The model's throat transition profile and sensor layout is presented. Mean pressures in the inlet reveal a shock-wave/boundary-layer interaction and show the utility of a viscous correction for inlet design. Schlieren images verified the hypothesized shock structure. Root-mean-square pressure measured by Kulites shows low frequency peaks in the isolator indicative of shock-wave/boundary-layer interactions. PCB-measured pressure spectra near the inlet's leading edge detect and verify the existence of high-frequency pressure signals at 20--35 kHz. Coherence analysis shows communication between these two forebody sensors. The transition front of the boundary layer along the inward-turning compression surface is demonstrated by Kulite spectra.