SBIR-STTR Award

Pressure-gain combustion systems such as an RDE allow for increased thermodynamic efficiency. In a gas-generator or staged combustion system, an RDE would allow for reduced pump size, and an increase in efficiency. For the past decade GTL has been developing novel propulsion modeling methods and hardware. In this effort, the application of an RDE along with a novel complimentary alternative will be modeled for use as a pre-combustor. The steadiness and uniformity of the flow entering the turbine is of particular importance in this modeling. In addition, the O/F ratios required for a pre-combustor present additional challenges. The two modeled pre-combustors will be compared to nominal deflagration methods. The phase I effort concludes with the design of an experiment for phase II testing and a preliminary design review (PDR). GTL is experienced in liquid-liquid, gas-liquid and gas-gas O2/CH4 testing. These experimental results will support AFRL's goal of evaluating the potential of pressure-gain and RDE methods.rotating detonation engine, Turbine, unsteady, Performance, combustor, Preburner

Pressure gain combustion (PGC), such as in a rotating detonation engine (RDE), has the potential to increase combustor efficiency up to 10%. This improvement would be valuable to many DoD systems such as thrusters, engines, and power generation units. In an earlier AFRL funded Phase I effort, GTL designed and modeled conceptual liquid injection rotating detonation engine concepts. By the end of the effort, preliminary hardware designs of these novel combustors had been completed. In this proposed DARPA phase II effort, these pressure gain combustor designs (i.e., rotating detonation rocket engines) will be finalized, fabricated, and tested. The results of this testing will provide critical data on pressure gain combustor operation and performance. The testing will be performed at the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI). This data will complement the RDE work being performed at AFRL, NASA, and others.