Experimental research on self-initiation process of rotating detonation wave by high-temperature ethylene-rich gas

Abstract

This study investigates an experimental process of high-temperature ethylene-rich gas and air for rotating detonation. After abandoning the pre-detonator method, the high-temperature ethylene-rich gas was injected and collided with the outer wall to create a localized high temperature and pressure region that ignited the gas mixture to form the deflagration state. Whether it is a single deflagration flame or double deflagration flame, it is eventually transformed through the deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT) process into a double detonation wave. With propagation and collision of the double waves, the injection pressure increases, which results in shortening the self-initiation delay time. The equivalence ratio, gas temperature, and mass flow rate affect the success ratio of self-initiation. Rotating detonation engine (RDE) can be successfully initiated in the equivalence ratio range of 0.82 to 1.69. Equivalence ratio and gas temperature increase the propagation velocity of rotating detonation wave (RDW), for maximum RDW velocity of 1324.61 m/s, the gas temperature is 1021.3 °C. At the double wave collision point, a new weak RDW appears that decreases the RDE operating stability and a periodic quenching and re-initiation of RDW phenomenon occurs at that point.