Evaluation of wall heat loads in the region of detonation propagation of detonative propulsion combustion chambers

Abstract

This paper deals with evaluation of wall heat loads that occur in a region of detonation propagation in a detonative propulsion combustion chamber. The heat loads were assessed for two types of detonation engine: pulse and rotating detonation. The results were compared to experimental data published in the literature. The procedure undertaken is based on an experimental investigation of heat transfer behind a single detonation wave that was conducted using a detonation tube. Fast response thermocouples were used to measure hot gas side wall temperature and this enabled the researchers to obtain values of heat flux behind a detonation wave propagating through gaseous, homogeneous, stationary mixtures of various compositions and initial pressures. Two mixtures were studied: H2-O2 and CH4-O2. In the case of the hydrogen-oxygen mixture a theoretical investigation was also conducted, where heat flux was obtained on the basis of inviscid CFD calculations supplied with an analytical model of Sichel and David. Numerical results include the expansion wave as well as the influence of wall temperature on the detonation chamber wall heat loads.