The Study on the Working Characteristics of Gaseous Premixing in a Kerosene/Air-Rotating Detonation Combustor

Abstract To enable stable performance in a rotating detonation combustor (RDC) operating with aviation fuel and air mixtures, this study develops a novel RDC configuration for hydrocarbon/oxidizer systems. The experimental investigation focuses on characterizing both nonreactive flow patterns and high-energy combustion phenomena under diverse supply parameters, employing premixed injection strategies for initial validation. Under premixed gas conditions, a stable detonation wave (RDW) mode was successfully established. The pressure of the RDW is approximately 1.3 MPa, and the wave velocity is close to 2000 m/s. With an increase in the incoming flowrate, specific thrust decreases, while the height of the detonation wave (DW) demonstrates a parabolic rise. Lower equivalence ratios are expected to cause instability in the RDW. Furthermore, higher total inflow temperatures are more likely to initiate the formation of new DW fronts, leading to a multiwavefront operational mode within the RDC.