The scramjet combustor is a critical component of Hypersonic technology, enabling next-generation missiles to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5—more than 5,400 km/hr
GUWAHATI: In a milestone for India's defense capabilities, the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL), a Hyderabad-based facility under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has successfully conducted a groundbreaking test of an Active Cooled Scramjet Combustor. The test, which lasted for 120 seconds, marks the first time such a feat has been achieved in India.
The scramjet combustor is a critical component of Hypersonic technology, enabling next-generation missiles to travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5—more than 5,400 km/hr. These hypersonic missiles, equipped with scramjet-powered engines, are capable of bypassing existing air defense systems, delivering high-speed and high-impact strikes, and are actively being pursued by global powers including the USA, Russia, China, and India.
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The successful ground test demonstrated several crucial advancements:
Ignition and Stable Combustion: Achieving and sustaining ignition in a scramjet engine is notoriously challenging, likened to “keeping a candle lit in a hurricane.” Using innovative flame stabilisation techniques, the DRDL team managed to maintain a continuous flame inside the combustor despite air speeds exceeding 1.5 km/s.
Indigenous Endothermic Scramjet Fuel: Developed jointly by DRDL and industry, the fuel provides enhanced cooling and ease of ignition, meeting stringent requirements for hypersonic applications.
Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC): A cutting-edge ceramic TBC, developed in collaboration with the Department of Science & Technology (DST) Laboratory, offers high thermal resistance and operates beyond the melting point of steel. This advanced coating, applied using special deposition methods, ensures the durability and performance of scramjet engines under extreme conditions.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulation: Advanced CFD tools were employed to evaluate and predict engine performance, significantly contributing to the scramjet configuration's success.
With this achievement, DRDL has positioned India among the few nations advancing Hypersonic technology.
