Pressure Gain Characteristic of Continuously Rotating Detonation Combustion and its Influence on Gas Turbine Cycle Performance

Abstract

Considering the pressure gain characteristic of continuously rotating detonation (CRD) combustion, a rotating detonation gas turbine cycle was established using methane as fuel. The variation of pressure gain characteristic and its influence on cycle performance at different compressor pressure ratios and air distribution proportions were investigated combined with a series of two-dimensional numerical simulations. The results were demonstrated that compared with the conventional approximate iso-pressure combustion, rotating detonation combustion could significantly improve the thermodynamic performance of gas turbine in various conditions. Due to the difference of entropy generation between rotating detonation and iso-pressure combustion, the pressure gain characteristic of the CRD combustor was provided a higher cycle efficiency. The efficiency gain was higher at lower compressor pressure ratio and air proportion entering CRD combustor. In the calculated cases, the pressurization ratio of the CRD combustor was higher than 1.37, cycle efficiencies of rotating detonation gas turbine were reached 0.395, cycle efficiency increasing rates were more than 22.5%, and power generation enhancements were greater than 1500 kW.