Detonation Branching in a PDE with Liquid Hydrocarbon Fuel

Abstract

A pulse detonation engine (PDE) capitalizes on the large mass flux and pressure rise associated with detonations to create thrust, which is proportional to PDE cycle frequency. This research showed that using a branched detonation as an ignition source, as opposed to standard spark ignition, deposits more energy into the thrust tube head. The increase in energy decreases ignition delay and detonation to deflagration transition (DDT) time. This allows a theoretical 85% cycle frequency increase that is accompanied by an 85% increase in thrust. The increase in energy also reduces the need for a DDT enhancement device, thereby increasing thrust as much as 30%. While detonation branching has been accomplished using gaseous hydrogen, this was the first instance of detonation branching using liquid hydrocarbon fuel.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA424361

Entities

People

  • Kristin L. Panzenhagen

Organizations

  • Air Force Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Chemical Reaction Properties
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemistry
  • Combustion
  • Combustion Products
  • Energy Conservation
  • Frequency
  • Heat Of Combustion
  • Hydrocarbon Fuels
  • Ideal Gas Law
  • Ignition
  • Ignition Lag
  • Ignition Systems
  • Spark Ignition
  • Thermal Conductivity
  • Thermodynamics

Readers

  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Rocket Propulsion.