Analytical Computation of Leading-Edge Truncation Effects on Inviscid Busemann-Inlet Performance

An approach is presented to analytically predict the conservation-averaged inviscid Busemann-inlet performance properties at the throat, accounting for the effect of leading-edge truncation. A control volume is drawn such that the calculation of throat-inlet performance relies on the accurate prediction of the pressure integral along the surface. The pressure integral is predicted by assuming a leading-edge total pressure loss and a Mach number distribution similar to a nontruncated Busemann inlet. The resulting surface profiles can also be used to predict the bow and terminating shock wave shapes. The pressure-integral-prediction approach is compared with a set of inviscid axisymmetric computational fluid dynamics solutions on the same geometries. The comparisons show that the pressure-integral-prediction approach compares favorably with the computational fluid dynamics solutions for inlets with a moderate contraction ratio and truncation angles no greater than 5 deg.