This paper gives a summary on curved shock compression research in the last decade. The new concept of curved shock compression system is proposed, in which specially designed 2D or 3D curved compression surface is applied. The leading shock wave would be curved due to its interaction with isentropic compression waves near the compression surface, and free stream is compressed by the curved shock wave together with the isentropic waves. Based on this concept, methods of: inverse designing supersonic internal flow path according to assigned outflow parameters, inverse designing compression surface according to pressure distribution or Mach number distribution along the surface, and inverse designing surface according to shock wave shape are established. The curved shock compression has a good comprehensive performance as shown in the investigation, and represents a brand-new approach for the design of hypersonic propulsion compression system.

The classic theory of rotational characteristics is used to inverse design the two-dimensional supersonic internal flow path according to the given outflow velocity profile. The design method of curved shock wave is investigated and the corresponding wall shape is obtained by stream trace technology. The basic idea and procedure of "flow field assembling" is demonstrated. Inverse design of velocity profile modification in supersonic flow path using only one shock wave has been achieved. The design models by method of characteristics are all verified by computational simulations. After some modification of boundary-layer, one of the inviscid models was designed for the wind tunnel experiment. The Mach number profiles acquired from the experiment coincide with the inverse design target, which indicates that the method proposed in this paper is correct and feasible. Nomenclature Ma =Mach number p = Static pressure P* = Total pressure T = Static temperature T* = Total pressure