Experimental Validation of Expanded Centerbodiless RDE Design

Abstract

Rotating Detonation Engines (RDE’s) or Rotating Detonation Combustors (RDC's) are a detonation based combustion method that shows potential capability of high efficiency, compact geometry, and continuous operation. Pressure losses due to friction, flow turning, or shock strength could cause a loss to the efficiency advantages RDEs have over conventional combustion. Some recent numerical studies have shown it is possible to ignite an RDE that has only the outer wall, with air going through the center instead of a centerbody. These centerbodiless RDE Designs may entrain flow and impart momentum to more air if driven only from the outer annulus, which may increase the total propulsive efficiency. They may also be a good afterburner design. In addition, their unique design with fewer walls for reflection may result in fewer reversals and blow-outs of the RDE. This may expand the range of operation for certain applications. A numerical study using a Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) program Fluent, by ANSYS has been performed to test three dimensional (3D) configurations of centerybodyless RDE. A physical model of the most successful design has been tested experimentally using air and hydrogen as a proof of concept. This represents the first experimental test of this design, and the first 3D printed RDE at the University of Cincinnati.