Overview on integrated design of inward-turning inlet with aircraft forebody

The integrated design of aircraft forebody/hypersonic inward-turning inlet has become a hot spot in the research of airbreathing hypersonic propulsion system. This paper mainly analyzes the design method of hypersonic inward-turning inlet and its integration with aircraft forebody from the perspective of aerodynamic design. For the design method of the inward-turning inlet, it mainly includes direct streamline-tracing method, the osculating method with uniform incoming flow and the inverse design method based on the forebody non-uniform flow-field. The integrated design method based on the inward-turning inlet mainly includes two types:the independent intake mode facing the incoming flow and the pre-compression intake mode with the forebody. Combined with the design method of the inward-turning inlet, the design methods of these two types are analyzed in details. According to the analysis, the design method of the inward-turning inlet based on the uniform forebody flow-field has been further developed, but it is necessary to develop the design method under non-uniform incoming flow to enhance the flexibility of the integrated design. With the in-depth development of the inward-turning inlet design method, the integrated design method is bound to be further developed.