Development of a High Fidelity RDE Simulation Capability

Abstract

The development of a high fidelity computational capability for the simulation of pressure gain combustion concepts, such as the rotating detonation engine, is the focus of this paper. Three-dimensional Euler simulations are the current state-of-practice approach; that is extended in this paper through the introduction of viscous and heat transfer effects. Capabilities of the tool used in this work are verified by application to detonation tube and two-dimensional rotating detonation engine test cases, where good agreement with Chapman-Jouguet properties and simulations from the literature is demonstrated. The impact of viscous and heat transfer effects is demonstrated through the execution and analysis of threedimensional simulations of a 10cm rotating detonation engine, using fully premixed hydrogen-air reactants at stoichiometric conditions. Near-wall viscous effects are found to impact the fill region, increasing the levels of low pressure heat release and subsequently impacting the detonation shape. The inclusion of heat transfer effects through the addition of isothermal boundary conditions is found to drastically impact the detonation wave behavior. Oblique shock waves are found to exist near the inner and outer diameters of the combustor annulus, on either side of the detonation front, leading it as it propagates into the unburned mixture.