Effect of back-propagation pressure on axial flow compressor in a pulse detonation turbine engine

Abstract

In order to reveal the affect mechanism of the back-propagation pressure on the axial flow compressor, the pressure back-propagation process and the effect of back-propagation pressure on compressor were carried out by numerical simulation. The pressure back-propagation characteristics in the pulse detonation chamber and intake section were studied by the 2-D numerical simulation with stoichiometric propane/air mixture. And the pressure histories at the inlet of the intake section were applied as the boundary conditions of the compressor outlet in the 3-D numerical simulation of the axial flow compressor. The simulation results indicated that there existed a critical value of back-propagation pressure oscillation ratio, above which the compressor would enter the unstable operating state eventually. The flow deceleration behind the back-propagation pressure waves was the fundamental reason for the compressor to enter the unstable operating state.