Accession Number:
ADA454345
Title:
Propagation of Detonation Waves in Tubes Split from a PDE Thrust Tube
Descriptive Note:
Conference paper
Corporate Author:
AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH
Personal Author(s):
Report Date:
2002-07-01
Pagination or Media Count:
13.0
Abstract:
A Pulse Detonation Engine PDE combusts a fuel air mixture through detonation. Existing designs require spark plugs in each separate thrust tube to ignite premixed reactants. A single thrust tube could require the spark plug to fire hundreds of times per second for long durations. This paper reports on the use of a continuously propagating detonation wave as both a thrust producer and a single ignition source for a multi-tube system. The goal was to minimize ignition complexity and increase reliability by limiting the number of ignition sources. The work includes a systematic investigation of single tube geometric effects on detonations. These results were subsequently used to further examine conditions for splitting detonations i.e. the division of a detonation wave into two separate detonation waves. Einally a dual thrust tube system was built and tested that successfully employed a single spark to initiate detonation in separate thrust tubes.
Descriptors:
Subject Categories:
- Jet and Gas Turbine Engines