Thrust Chamber Dynamics and Propulsive Performance of Single-Tube Pulse Detonation Engines

Abstract

This pape r deals with the modeling and simulation of the thrust chamber dynamics in an airbreathing pulse detonation engine (PDE). The system under consideration includes a supersonic inlet, an air manifold, a rotary valve, a single -tube combustor , and a convergent -divergent nozzle. The analysis accommodates the full conservation equations in two - dimensional coordinates, along with a calibrated one - progress -variable chemical reaction scheme for a stoichiometric hydrogen/air mixture. The combustion and flow dynamics involved in typical PDE operations are carefully examined. In addition, a flow -path based performance prediction model is established to estimate the theoretical limit of the engine propulsive performance. Various performance loss mechanisms, including refilling process, mismatch of nozzle exit flow conditions with the ambient state, nozzle flow divergence, and internal flow dynamics, are identified and quantified. The internal flow loss, which mainly arises from the shock waves within the chamber, play s a dominant role in degrading the PDE performance. The effects of engine operating parameters and nozzle configurations on the system dynamics are also studied in depth. Results indicate the existence of an optimum operating frequency for achieving a be st performance margin. For a given cycle period and purge time, the performance increases with decreasing valve close -up time in most cases. On the other hand, a larger purge time decreases the specific thrust but increases the specific impulse for a giv en cycle period and valve close -up time. The nozzle throat area affects both the flow expansion process and chamber dynamics, thereby exerting a much more significant influence than the other nozzle geometrical parameters.