A Computationally Efficient Approach to Modeling Three-Dimensional Geometric Effects of Combustor Geometries in Rotating Detonation Engines Using Two-Dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics

Abstract Current state-of-the-art gas turbine engines operate in deflagration mode of combustion. Integrating a rotating detonation combustor (RDC) successfully with a downstream turbine has the potential to enhance the thermodynamic efficiency of the gas turbine engine. However, the flow exiting the RDC is highly unsteady due to the presence of oblique shock waves at the RDC exit. The objective of the present study is to develop an approach for the strategic area profiling of the RDC annulus using 2D reacting computational fluid dynamics and area variation source terms. 2D transient reacting simulations are performed to study the impact of area profiling in an annular RDC to minimize exhaust flow unsteadiness and enhance pressure gain. The emphasis is to reduce the computational cost for future optimization. A series of simulations with varying throat area ratios is conducted. The throat area ratios are varied from area ratio (AR) 2.0–5.0 to investigate the impact of area profiling on the flow exiting the RDC, pressure gain, and wave dynamics. The model is validated against a previously validated 3D reacting simulation. Flow field analysis at the exit is performed to assess the impact of profiling on flow conditioning and the nature of the flow exiting the combustor. Results show significant performance improvement for higher area ratios in terms of reduced flow unsteadiness and higher-pressure gain in the combustor. A simple, reduced cost computational approach for RDC combustor geometry optimization has been developed and demonstrates the advantage of strategic area profiling and its impact on RDC performance.