Pulsed Detonation Propulsion Alternative for Space

Successful application of pulsed detonation wave engine for rocket propulsion bringswith it reduced engine weight, precise control over impulse, ability to operate in acontinuous or intermittent mode and ease of maintenance. The proposed effort addressesthe critical issues in the development of pulsed detonation wave engines for rocketpropulsion including the use of liquid fuel, valve-less operation, energy requirementto initiate and sustain sufficiently rapid combustion, and the impact of residual hotgas on the frequency at which the engine can continually operate. In Phase I of theproposed work the impact of several time scales in the problem on the performance ofthe rocket engine will be established for a simple geometry. In Phase II the modelingwill involve simulation of unsteady, turbulent, multidimensional flow to quantify thefindings from Phase I under engine operating conditions. Findings from this effort willlead to optimal design of pulse detonation engines that are application specific. The proposed research addresses the basic issues involved in the design andoptimization of pulsed detonation wave engines for rocket application. An optimaldesign of pulsed detonation engine can greatly increase payload, control impulsebits and operate at higher efficiency. It has potential application in micro satellitepropulsion and control, co-atmospheric vehicles, and also air breathing engines forhypersonic flight.