Scramjets and associated aircraft and methods

An aircraft, comprising:

• an aircraft body;
• and
• a scramjet supported by the aircraft body;
• wherein the scramjet comprises:
• a converging inlet configured to compress an incoming air stream;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber downstream of the converging inlet, wherein the combustor is configured to introduce a fuel stream into the incoming air stream in the combustion chamber to create a fuel air mixture stream, and to ignite and combust the fuel air mixture stream to create an exhaust stream, wherein the combustor comprises a fuel injection system comprising at least one arcjet configured to inject the fuel stream into the incoming air stream in the combustion chamber at a fuel speed that is sufficient to create a shear between the fuel stream and the incoming air stream;
• and
• a diverging exit nozzle downstream of the combustion chamber and configured to accelerate the exhaust stream to produce thrust of the scramjet;
• wherein the fuel injection system further comprises at least one magnet associated with the at least one arcjet;
• wherein the at least one magnet is configured to impart a magnetic field;
• wherein the magnetic field is configured to impart vorticity to the fuel stream as the fuel stream exits the at least one arcjet and enters the incoming air stream to create the fuel air mixture stream;
• wherein the at least one arcjet comprises an arcjet body;
• wherein the at least one magnet extends circumferentially around the arcjet body;
• and wherein the at least one magnet is configured to be selectively translated along the arcjet body to alter an effect of the magnetic field on the fuel stream as the fuel stream exits the at least one arcjet and enters the incoming air stream to create the fuel air mixture stream.

A method of creating thrust for an aircraft, comprising:

• providing an aircraft body;
• providing a scramjet supported by the aircraft body, wherein the scramjet comprises:
• a converging inlet configured to compress an incoming air stream;
• a combustor comprising a combustion chamber downstream of the converging inlet, wherein the combustor is configured to introduce a fuel stream into the incoming air stream in the combustion chamber to create a fuel air mixture stream, and to ignite and combust the fuel air mixture stream to create an exhaust stream, wherein the combustor comprises a fuel injection system comprising at least one arcjet configured to inject the fuel stream into the incoming air stream in the combustion chamber at a fuel speed that is sufficient to create a shear between the fuel stream and the incoming air stream;
• and
• a diverging exit nozzle downstream of the combustion chamber and configured to accelerate the exhaust stream to produce thrust of the scramjet;
• wherein the fuel injection system further comprises at least one magnet associated with the at least one arcjet;
• wherein the at least one magnet is configured to impart a magnetic field;
• wherein the magnetic field is configured to impart vorticity to the fuel stream as the fuel stream exits the at least one arcjet and enters the incoming air stream to create the fuel air mixture stream;
• wherein the at least one arcjet comprises an arcjet body;
• wherein the at least one magnet extends circumferentially around the arcjet body;
• and wherein the at least one magnet is configured to be selectively translated along the arcjet body to alter an effect of the magnetic field on the fuel stream as the fuel stream exits the at least one arcjet and enters the incoming air stream to create the fuel air mixture stream;
• compressing the incoming air stream in the converging inlet;
• injecting the fuel stream into the incoming air stream in the combustion chamber downstream of the converging inlet to create the fuel air mixture stream;
• igniting the fuel air mixture stream in the combustion chamber;
• maintaining combustion of the fuel air mixture stream in the combustion chamber to create the exhaust stream;
• and
• exhausting the exhaust stream from the diverging exit nozzle downstream of the combustion chamber;
• and
• wherein the injecting comprises injecting the fuel stream with the at least one arcjet at the fuel speed that is sufficient to create the shear between the fuel stream and the incoming air stream.