Experimental investigation into effects of combustor structure on characteristics of rotating detonation of cracked kerosene gas

This study examines the influence of the structure of the combustor on the propagation of rotating detonation waves (RDWs) of cracked kerosene gas (CKG) by using oxygen-rich air, with mass fractions of oxygen of 36% and 48%, as the oxidant while maintaining stable values of the state parameters of CKG. The experimental results showed that the structure of the combustor played a key role in the initiation and stable propagation of CKG, and suitable values of its width and the width of its outlet promoted the stable self-sustained propagation of the RDWs. Combustors of 8 and 14 mm width failed to initiate with 36% oxygen-rich air and without blockage ratio. In the combustors of 20 and 26 mm width, as the blockage ratio increased, the modes of propagation of the RDW included a single stable RDW, intermittent single RDW, and four, six, and eight counter-rotating RDWs. With the further increase in the blockage ratio, the reflected shock wave at the end of the combustor was enhanced, resulting in an increase in the number of RDW wave heads. As a result, the height of the fresh fuel layer was decreased, the mixing time was decreased and led to a decrease in the RDW velocity. The increase in the width of the combustor was conducive to the radial and axial diffusion of fuel and oxidizer in the combustor, which led to an obvious increase in the propagation velocity of RDW. In the 26 mm width combustor, the maximum RDW velocity is 1769 m/s.