An Assessment of Pulse Detonation Engine Performance Estimation Methods Based On Experimental Results

Abstract

A number of Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE) performance modeling methodologies have been advanced over the last 15 years, varying widely in approach. In an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of several of these approaches, two data points from a single-tube, cyclically operating, direct-connect pulse detonation combustor and nozzle operating at simulated flight conditions were used as input to each of three PDE performance codes. One classical thermodynamics code, one CFD-based method, and one hybrid, unsteady thermodynamic/ computational/empirical cycle deck were selected for this study. After the codes were anchored to the experimental data, each code was used to simulate the performance of four different idealized engine cycles utilizing an optimized version of the experimental PDE combustor operating at the conditions tested. Specific impulse and specific thrust were calculated for each engine cycle at each experimental combustor operating condition. Utilizing the same data corrections and cycle assumptions, the three performance codes showed good agreement. The largest total variation from the mean for any cycle was 4% for specific thrust and 7% for specific impulse.