Operation regimes in a rotating detonation combustor

This paper presents an exploration of the operational envelope of a Rotating Detonation Combustor based on the design of the research group at the University of Southampton. The envelope is defined by hydrogen, respectively air feed line pressures between 2 and 10 bar. Three regimes have been identified: non-ignition, rotating detonation, and deflagration, and the limits, in terms of equivalence ratios have been determined. The discrimination between the three regimes was based on high speed static pressure measurements, infrared imaging, and acoustic evaluation. It has been found that detonation is characterized by a convergent flame in the near-field of the exhaust section, high pressure oscillations, and clear dominant frequencies in the kHz range, as well as by a characteristic loud, high-frequency sound.