Internal Flow Dynamics and Performance of Valveless Airbreathing Pulse Detonation Engine

Abstract

*† ‡ This paper deals with the modeling and simulation of the internal flowfield in a valveless airbreathing pulse detonation engine (PDE) currently under experimental development at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. The system involves no valves in the airflow path, and the isolation between the inlet and combustor is achieved through the gasdynamics in an isolator. The analysis accommodates the full conservation equations in axisymmetric coordinates, and takes into account variable properties for ethylene/oxygen/air system. Chemical reaction schemes with a single progress variable are implemented to minimize the computational burden. Detailed flow evolution during a full cycle is explored and propulsive performance is calculated. Effect of initiator mass injection rate is examined and results indicate that the mass injection rate should be carefully selected to avoid the formation of recirculation zones in the initial cold flowfield. Flow evolution results demonstrate a successful detonation transmission from the initiator to the combustor. However, strong pressure disturbance may propagate upstream to the inlet nozzle, suggesting the current configuration could be further refined to provide more efficient isolation between the inlet and combustor.