Development of a Compact Liquid Fueled Pulsed

Detonation Engine with Pre-detonator

Philip K. Panicker
Aerodynamic Research Center, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, 76019

Jiun-Ming (Jimmy) Li
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, 701,
Republic of China

Frank K. Lu
Donald R. Wilson
ARC, MAE Department, UT Arlington, Arlington, Texas, 76019

Acknowledgements: This study is made possible by funding from

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, UT Arlington
and
The National Science Council, Taiwan, ROC

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Mar-07 AERODYNAMIC RESEARCH CENTER 1
MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Agenda
z Past PDE research at ARC
z Objectives of present PDE design
z Pre-detonator
z 30 Smooth Area Change Nozzle
z Main Combustor
z Fuel and Gas Injection Valves
z Liquid Fuel-Air Mixing Chamber
z Diagnostics
z Complete Apparatus
z Test Program
z Conclusion

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 Past Detonation and PDE studies at ARC
z Stanley, Steven Bradley, "Experimental Investigation of Factors Influencing the Evolution of a
Detonation Wave," Master's Thesis, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The
University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, 1995.
z Burge, Karl Ramon, "Pulse Detonation - Detonation Continuance in Fuel-Air Regions," Master
Thesis, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The University of Texas at
Arlington, Arlington, TX, 1995.
z Munipalli, R., Shankar, V., Wilson, D.R., Kim, H., Lu, F.K., and Hagseth P.E. "A pulse detonation
based mulitmode engine concept,"AIAA Paper 20011786, 10th AIAA/NAL/NASDA/ISAS
International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Kyoto,
Japan, April 2427, 2001
z Wilson, D.R., Lu, F.K., Kim, H., and Munipalli, R., "Analysis of a pulsed normal detonation wave
engine concept," AIAA Paper 20011784, 10th AIAA/NAL/NASDA/ISAS International Space
Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies Conference, Kyoto, Japan, April 2427, 2001
z Meyers, J. M., "Performance Enhancements on a Pulsed Detonation Rocket," Master's Thesis,
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington,
Arlington, TX, 2002.

Presently there are Computational and Experimental

studies on Pulse Detonation Engines and Applications at
the ARC.

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 2000 -2003
Propane + O mixture
2

5 to 20 Hz detonation cycles
Shchelkin spiral
High energy arc ignition
Rotary valve system
CJ detonation achieved briefly at low
frequencies but not at the higher frequencies.
This was attributed to improper mixing at
higher frequencies.
Lu, F.K., Meyers, J.M. and Wilson, D.R., Experimental study of propane-
fueled pulsed detonation rocket, AIAA Paper 2003 6974, 12th AIAA
International Space Planes and Hypersonic Systems and Technologies,
December 1518, 2003, Norfolk, Virginia

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Mar-07 AERODYNAMIC RESEARCH CENTER 4
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 High Energy Arc Ignition to Initiate Detonation
z Requires bulky electrical circuit components.
z Transformers, capacitor banks are heavy and
impractical for flight weight model.
z Power generation to initiate arcs will deplete engines
available power output.
z Most of the power is wasted electrically when arc
current flows to ground.
z Ignition plugs sustain heavy damage and have
reduced life.
z The Arc is a big source of Electro-Magnetic noise that
will drown out signals from transducers.

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 2003-2004
Motor driven. (Motor is source of EMI
and vibrations.)
Belts slip and valves lose synchronicity.
Need a sensor (magnetic pick up or
optical transducer) to sense valve
position.
Very difficult to time ignition.
Rotary valves leak and higher
pressures are not possible.
Therefore, stoichiometric mix or proper
equivalence ratio not possible.
Higher frequency not possible.
Propane + Oxygen

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 2004-2005
Propane + Oxygen
Rotary Valve
Automotive Ignition with
Tungsten rod spark plugs
Tested various Shchelkin
spiral lengths, pitch, blockage
ratio.

Blockage Ratio of 50 to 55% most effective for DDT.

Without water cooling, tube deforms, pre-ignition.
Run time 10 seconds to 1 minute.
Spirals break up in high pressure + temperature environment.

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Late
2005

Propane + Oxygen

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 2006: Application of PDE for Electric Power Generation

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Objectives of the New PDE Design
z Build a PDE platform to perform various structured
studies
z Gaseous and Liquid Fuels, variable equivalence ratio, fill
rates, etc.
z Long Duration Run Times (30 min. to 1 hour)
z High cycle frequency (0 to 100 Hz)
z Modular design, configurable easily for different test
cases
z Low energy ignition
z Electrical solenoid valve injection
z Fully controllable via computer and monitor in real time

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Compact Liquid Fueled PDE with Pre-detonator

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Pre-detonator
z Fuel-Air mixtures have high DDT run up distance
and initiation energy. Pre-detonator can shorten
the run up distance and provide the energy
required to drive the pressure wave to
detonation.
z Thus, a low energy ignition source is sufficient.
z If spirals and DDT enhancing obstacles can be
avoided, thrust is not lost due to drag.
z Small quantities of highly detonable mixtures are
used to generate DDT within the main
combustor.
z Smaller sized pre-detonators require less O2
and fuel, as opposed to pre-detonator and main
combustor having same area of cross-section.
z In hybrid PDE-Compressor-Turbine engines, the
pre-detonator can get the engine started from
full stop. Once the engine builds up speed, the
pre-detonator may be cut off.

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Why Propane?
z Propane is friendly
z coz we are from Texas, yaall
z Already tested in prior studies,
plenty of data available
z Major component of Natural gas
z Easy availability of propane in
various containers. Viable as a www.usepropane.com
fuel for commercial hybrid PDEs Copyright 2005 by the
Propane Education & Research
z Cell sizes very similar to many Council.
liquid fuels, such as JP-10, with
air.

www.buckandryan.co.uk

www.propane-generators.com/

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Pre-detonator (contd.)
z Propane + Oxygen
z Low energy ignition
z Redundant spark plug
z Tangential gas injection
z Flanged Shchelkin spiral
z Can be run as a stand alone
detonation tube, with the addition of
an existing combustion chamber with
pressure transducer ports

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Pre-detonator (contd. 2)
z dc = 13 for area abrupt area change
z dc = 26 for D/DCJ 1.3 over-driven detonations1
z dc = 8.3 mm for propane/oxygen mixture2
z DDT was achieved in distances ranging from 5 to 25 cm
for 1 in. diameter tube using propane-oxygen mixtures
with varying equivalence ratio (1.6 to 0.85)3
z 1 in. i.d. (25.4
( mm/1.7 mm15), length = 10 in.

[1] Desbordes, D., Lannoy, A., Effects of a Negative Step of Fuel Concentration on Critical Diameter of Diffraction of a
Detonation, Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics, Vol. 133, 1991, pp. 170-186.
[2] Schultz, E., Detonation Diffraction through an abrupt area expansion, PHD Thesis, California Institute of Technology,
2000.
[3] Li, J., Lai, W.H., Chung, K., Tube Diameter Effect on Deflagration to Detonation Transition of Propane-Oxygen
Mixtures, Shock Waves, Vol. 16, No. 2, December 2006, pp. 109-117.

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Main Combustor

z Designed to be a stand alone detonation tube

with the addition of an igniter
z The end flange allows extension of length or
addition of other devices, e.g. a turbine.
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 Main Combustor Inlet Block (contd.)

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Solenoid Valves and Electronic Fuel
Injectors (1)
AFS-Gs60-05-5c series Fuel Valves
Solenoid Valves Alternate Fuel Systems (2004) Inc. Calgary, Canada
12 Vdc, 8A peak, 2A hold.
Fast acting (2ms reaction time). Up to 35Hz tested
successfully. 50Hz max.
Easy and precise control possible using TTL
signals from a remote computer.
Max pressure 550 kPa (90psig)

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Solenoid Valves and Electronic Fuel Injectors (2)

Gasoline Direct
Injectors
Pressure rating of 14
MPa (2000 psi)
Particle size of about
DENSO CORPORATION Japan
50 m.
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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Denso Driver Circuit

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Denso Injector Water Test
Water at 10 MPa.
Measurement of Sauters Mean Diameter (SMD) using
Malvern Insitec Ensemble Particle Concentration and Size (EPCS) meter

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Digital (TTL) Control of Valves and Ignition:
Control Duty Cycle and Frequency
Volts

Purge Air
50% Valve
Cycle
Volts

Fuel, Oxygen
Valves
40%
Cycle
Volts

5%
Ignition
Control
Cycle

Time (s)

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Liquid Fuel-Air Mixing Chamber

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 Liquid Fuel-Air Mixing Chamber (contd.)

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 Liquid Fuel Pump

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Ignition System

150 mJ max energy per spark Inductive Ignition System

A transistor control circuit built in house enables the
interfacing of the ignition system to the DAQ PC and
allows ignition to be controlled remotely.

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Schematic of the complete PDE

Diagnostics
. Dynamic pressure
transducers (PCB 111A24
model, 1000 psi maximum,
450 kHz resonant
frequency) with water
cooling adapters (064A01
recessed sensor and
064B02 flush sensor
models)
Load cells: piezo-electric
PCB 201B03 (500 lbf) and
201B05 (5000 lbf)
Photo-diode based optical
sensors

National Instruments DAQ consisting of a 1042Q chassis with two 8 channel 2.5 MS/s S-series PXI-6133 cards.
The DAQ is connected to a remote PC via fiber optic cable which ensures smooth, EMI free signal transmission.
PXI-6624 8 channel counter installed in the DAQ chassis that provides 8 configurable counters, enabling up to 8
devices to be precisely timed using the DAQ.
LabVIEW is used to build all user interfaces.

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Optical Sensor
z Hamamatsu
photodiodes
z part number 1226-
18BU),
z 1.1 mm square window
z sensitive to light
between 190 and 1000
nm wavelengths

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 New PDE smell

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 Test Program
z Test frequency is set: 0 to 100 Hz
z Propane and Oxygen are injected simultaneously:
varying equivalence ratio, fill volume
z Liquid fuel is mixed with air and injected: varying
equivalence ratio, fill volume
z Ignition spark is fired, blow down
z Followed by purge
z Diagnostics can only be done for short periods, as long
duration tests can damage sensors.
z Longer duration tests > 2 minutes, will be done with no
PTs and only externally located sensors.
z Liquid Fuels: Jet A, Kerosene, JP-10, JP-4,etc.
z Also: propane-oxygen+ propane-air

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 Future Studies
z PDE with liquid fuel + air test
z 1 minute to 30 minute duration
z Effect of interface location and area
change on detonation wave

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MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
 Conclusion
z A PDE platform capable of using liquid fuel with air,
using a pre-detonator has been built.
z Cycle frequency, Equivalence ratios and Fill Rates can
be controlled via solenoid valve timing and control of
feed line pressure.
z Has integrated water cooling, expecting Long Duration
Run Times (30 min. to 1 hour)
z High cycle frequency possible (0 to 100 Hz)
z Modular design, configurable easily for different test
cases, addition of tube extensions, turbine, etc.
z Low energy ignition
z Can be fully controlled and monitored in real time via
computer.

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