Plasma-Assisted Combustion to Enhance the Performance and Operability of RDCs for Naval Applications

In order to extend the range and speed at which military vehicles can fly, innovative propulsion technologies need to be developed as the efficiency of conventional gas turbine engines have stagnated in recent years. To meet the propulsion needs of the U.S. Navy, IN Space proposes the development of a plasma-assisted rotating detonation combustor to be used in a gas turbine augmentor combustor to achieve higher combustion efficiency and reduced combustor size and weight. Plasma discharges can be utilized to produce additional radicals in the combustor flow and open up new reaction pathways, which leads to flame stabilization, increased combustion efficiency, and lower emissions. The proposed Phase I activity will start with an assessment of current plasma-assisted combustion technology and the conceptual design of small-scale risk-reduction hardware, which will then be followed by a benefits and cost assessment. This benefits and cost analysis will be supported by experimental data from initial evaluations of critical aspects of the combustor design and its operational range. The experimental data will be used to inform a larger-scale combustor to designed at the end of Phase I in preparation of prototype testing in the Phase II effort.