DRDL Tests Actively Cooled Scramjet Engine Combustor
In News
What Happened
Why It Matters
Background
History & Context
What Changed
- ▶
BEFORE: India had primarily demonstrated sub-scale scramjet combustor operations or shorter-duration tests. NOW: DRDL has successfully validated a full-scale combustor capable of stable, continuous operation for over 12 minutes.
- ▶
BEFORE: Managing the extreme thermal stress of hypersonic combustion on a full-scale engine was a major technological hurdle. NOW: The 'actively cooled' design has been empirically proven on a full-scale model, effectively resolving critical thermal management bottlenecks.
- ▶
BEFORE: The operational limits of the newly established Scramjet Connect Pipe Test (SCPT) Facility in Hyderabad for full-scale long-duration testing were theoretical. NOW: The ground test successfully validated both the combustor design and the SCPT infrastructure's ability to simulate extreme hypersonic flight conditions.
Prelims Angle
NCERT Connection
Practice Questions
Q1
Correct Statement(s)With reference to Scramjet engine technology, consider the following statements: 1. Unlike Ramjet engines, Scramjet engines allow combustion to take place while the airflow within the engine is supersonic. 2. Scramjet engines can produce thrust at zero airspeed and therefore do not require an assisted take-off. Which of the following statements is/are correct?