Stabilized detonation for hypersonic propulsion

Abstract

There is now an intensifying international effort to develop robust propulsion systems for hypersonic and supersonic flight. Such a system would allow flight through our atmosphere at very high speeds and allow efficient entry and exit from planetary atmospheres. The possibility of basing such a system on detonations, the most powerful form of combustion, has the potential to provide higher thermodynamic efficiency, enhanced reliability, and reduced emissions. This work reports a significant step in attaining this goal: the discovery of an experimental configuration and flow conditions that generate a stabilized oblique detonation, a phenomenon that has the potential to revolutionize high-speed propulsion of the future.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
May 10, 2021
Source ID
10.1073/pnas.2102244118

Entities

People

  • Christian L. Bachman
  • Daniel A. Rosato
  • Gabriel B. Goodwin
  • Jonathan Sosa
  • K Ahmed
  • Mason Thornton

Organizations

  • Air Force Office of Scientific Research
  • National Science Foundation
  • University of Central Florida

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Space Exploration and Orbital Mechanics.
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Hypersonics
  • Hypersonics - Hypersonic Flight