Ramjet Engine – How It Works & Its Evolution
Simple ramjet operation, with Mach numbers of flow A ramjet is a type of airbreathing jet engine that requires forward motion of engine to provide air for combustion. Ramjets work most efficiently at supersonic speeds around Mach 3 or (2,300 mph; 3,700 km/h) and can operate up to Mach 6 (4,600 mph; 7,400 km/h). Ramjets can be particularly useful in missiles where they require a compact mechanism with high-speed. Weapons designers are investigating ramjet technology for use in artillery shells to increase range; a 120 mm ramjet-assisted mortar shell is thought to be able to travel 35 km (22 mi). They have been used, though not efficiently, as tip-jets on the ends of helicopter rotors. History France Leduc 010 Cyrano de Bergerac L'Autre Monde: ou les États et Empires de la Lune (Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon) (1657) w...