Use of Subsonic Diffuser Mach Number as a Supersonic-Inlet Control Parameter

A Mach number measured in the subsonic diffuser was used experimentally as the inlet control parameter of a bypass control system for an axisymmetric supersonic inlet operated in combination with a J34 turbo-jet engine at Mach numbers from 1.6 to 2.0. The control maintained the inlet in either critical or supercritical operation, and, when set for critical diffuser operation, the control recovered from disturbances that placed the inlet in both subcritical buzz and supercritical operation. A slotted-rake orifice gave a more representative value of subsonic diffuser Mach number than the single total-pressure probe used as a control input.