Energy efficiency of detonation combustion in supersonic ramjet engines

Abstract

The energy efficiency of a supersonic ramjet engine with detonation combustion of a hydrogen-air mixture in an axisymmetric Laval nozzle is considered. First of all, within the framework of the one-dimensional (1D) theory, it is shown that extreme combustion corresponding to the Chapman-Jouguet (C.-J.) deflagration, like constant pressure combustion, surpasses detonation in energy efficiency. However, this advantage becomes insignificant with an increasing the free-flow Mach number. Based on the results of the 1D theory, an axisymmetric Laval nozzle is constructed, which provides steady-state detonation combustion of a stoichiometric hydrogen-air mixture at an altitude of about 40 km and with freestream Mach numbers 9 and 12. The efficiency of detonation combustion in this case is about 35% instead of the maximum 65% according to the 1D theory.