Inlet technology

At hypersonic flight Mach numbers, particularly above Mo = 10, the inlet compression process is no longer adiabatic, real gas chemistry takes on extra importance, and the combined effects of entropy layer and viscous effects lead to highly nonuniform flow profile characteristics at the combustor entrance. Under such conditions, traditional inlet efficiency parameters can be unnecessarily cumbersome and/or lacking in the ability to appropriately characterize the inlet flow and to provide insight into propulsion system performance. Recent experience suggests that the use of inlet entropy increases inlet efficiency in hypersonic applications.