Chuanjun Yan

Experimental Investigation of Nozzle Effects on Thrust and Inlet Pressure of an Air-breathing Pulse Detonation Engine

Nozzle effects on thrust and inlet pressure of a multi-cycle air-breathing pulse detonation engine (APDE) are investigated experimentally. An APDE with 68 mm in diameter and 2 050 mm in length is operated using gasoline/air mixture. Straight nozzle, converging nozzle, converging-diverging nozzle and diverging nozzle are tested. The results show that thrust augmentation of converging-diverging nozzle, diverging nozzle or straight nozzle is better than that of converging nozzle on the whole. Thrust augmentation of straight nozzle is worse than those of converging-diverging nozzle and diverging nozzle. Thrust augmentations of diverging nozzle with larger expansion ratio and converging-diverging nozzle with larger throat area range from 20% to 40% on tested frequencies and are better than those of congeneric other nozzles respectively. Nozzle effects on inlet pressure are also researched. At each frequency it is indicated that filling pressures and average peak pressures of inlet with diverging nozzle and converging-diverging nozzle with large throat cross section area are higher than those with straight nozzle and converging nozzle. Pressures near thrust wall increase in an increase order from without nozzle, with diverging nozzle, straight nozzle and converging-diverging nozzle to converging nozzle.

Experimental Investigation on Performance of Pulse Detonation Rocket Engine Model

Abstract The PDRE test model used in these experiments utilized kerosene as the fuel, oxygen as oxidizer, and nitrogen as purge gas. The solenoid valves were employed to control intermittent supplies of kerosene, oxygen and purge gas. PDRE test model was 50 mm in inner diameter by 1.2 m long. The DDT (deflagration to detonation transition) enhancement device Shchelkin spiral was used in the test model. The effects of detonation frequency on its time-averaged thrust and specific impulse were experimentally investigated. The obtained results showes that the time-averaged thrust of PDRE test model was approximately proportional to the detonation frequency. For the detonation frequency 20 Hz, the time-averaged thrust was around 107 N, and the specific impulse was around 125 s. The nozzle experiments were conducted using PDRE test model with three traditional nozzles. The experimental results obtained demonstrated that all of those nozzles could augment the thrust and specific impulse. Among those three nozzles, the convergent nozzle had the largest increased augmentation, which was approximately 18%, under the specific condition of the experiment.

Operation of a Rotary-valved Pulse Detonation Rocket Engine Utilizing Liquid kerosene and Oxygen

Abstract The pulse detonation rocket engine (PDRE) requires periodic supply of oxidizer, fuel and purge gas. A rotary-valve assembly is fabricated to control the periodic supply in this research. Oxygen and liquid aviation kerosene are used as oxidizer and fuel respectively. An ordinary automobile spark plug, with ignition energy as low as 50 mJ, is used to initiate combustion. Steady operation of the PDRE is achieved with operating frequency ranging from 1 Hz to 10 Hz. Experimentally measured pressure is lower than theoretical value by 13% at 1 Hz and 37% at 10 Hz, and there also exists a velocity deficit at different operating frequencies. Both of these two phenomena are believed mainly due to droplet size which depends on atomization and vaporization of liquid fuel.