Development of a Continuous Branching Pulsed Detonation Engine

Abstract

A one-dimensional analysis was developed for sizing of a continuous branching pulsed detonation engine (PDE). Length of the crossover tubes was found to depend on the number of thrust tubes in the engine and total engine cycle time for a given fuel/air mixture. The natural engine operating frequency was then inversely proportional to thrust tube length. Minimal crossover tube length was desirable, in order to reduce difficulties with detonation transmission and other inefficiencies associated with long crossover tubes. Proof of concept experimentation was performed on a pair of thrust tubes connected at the tail end by a perpendicular crossover tube. Transient variations in wavespeed were observed as the engine temperature increased, but under the right conditions, consistent detonation transmission was observed. A continuous branching PDE design is demonstrated, with short crossover tubes and alternating tail-tail and head-head detonation transmission.