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Pulse Detonation Engines


PDE Information | Resources | Publications | Links |


Resources for PDE Researchers
  • An electronic (and print-on-paper) data base has been developed for accessing data on measured detonation properties such as cell width, critical tube diameter, and critical initiation energy. This data base has a number of unique features, and is meant to be a community project that can be used by all and maintained as an archive.

  • Computational tools for ZND and CV with detailed chemical reaction models are available.

  • A library of chemical reaction mechanisms and thermodynamic data is available for use with the CHEMKIN-compatible software.

  • Reaction mechanism validation study, shock tube data and ZND computations

  • Impulse model predictions

    We have carried out chemical equilibrium computations and used a simple gas dynamic model to predict detonation properties (CJ velocity, pressure, sound speed, gamma), Taylor wave properties (plateau pressure, sound speed), and the ideal impulse for a straight detonation tube. The methodology and original data are described iin the following publications.

    • (PDF) E. Wintenberger, JM Austin, M. Cooper, S. Jackson, and JE Shepherd "An analytical model for the impulse of a single-cycle pulse detonation tube. " Preprint, see final paper in Journal of Propulsion and Power, 19(1), 22-38, Jan-Feb 2003.

    • (PDF) E Wintenberger, JM Austin, M Cooper, S Jackson, and JE Shepherd. "Impulse of a single pulse detonation tube", GALCIT Report FM00-8, August 2002.

    Recently (Fall 2003), we have revised our model slightly and based the Taylor wave properties on equilibrium flow instead of frozen flow within the expansion wave. The model was also recalibrated against a larger data set. The net result that the empirical constants for standard ambient pressure and straight tubes remains the same as the original fit but the predicted impulse is slightly higher for high temperature (fuel-oxygen) cases.

    The differences between the two models are only apparent for the Taylor wave plateau properties and impulse prediction for fuel-oxygen mixtures. For the most extreme cases, near stoichiometric mixtures, the equilibrium flow impulse values are about 5-10% higher than the frozen flow values. The difference between equilibrium and frozen flow decreases with increasing nitrogen dilution (decreasing temperatures) and for all practical purposes, the two models can not be distinguished for fuel-air mixtures.

    Mixtures: JP10, Jet A, H2, C2H2, C2H4, C3H8 with either O2 or air.

    Conditions: Stoichiometric O2 or Air mixtures, 300 K, 0.2 to 2 bar
    Variable equivalence ratio for O2 and Air mixtures, 300 K and 1 bar.

    • REVISED model predictions based on equilibrium flow (Excel) (PDF)

    • Experimental data (from FM00-8) and original model predictions based on frozen flow (Excel) (PDF)

    The issues related to chemical nonequilibrium are discussed briefly in our Response to comments by Radelescu and Hanson. This is a preprint, see the final version in Journal of Propulsion and Power. A more thorough discussion is given in Chapter 6 of Cooper's PhD thesis and the application to the single tube impulse model is discussed in Section 4.3.4 of Wintenberger's PhD thesis.

  • JP-10 cell width measurements

  • Miscellaneous shock wave, detonation, and thermodynamic properties