Performance Evaluation of a Pulse Detonation Engine Using Vortex Generators as Obstacles in the Combustion Chamber

Abstract Propulsion based engines have been known for their exemplary thrust but also for lower fuel efficiency and speed of operation which is limited to subsonic and the level of intermittent vibrations produced. Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE) is similar to a Pulse Jet Engine (PJE) except for the fact that the flame formed inside the combustion chamber of PDE travels at supersonic speed, whereas in PJE, it is subsonic. The supersonic speed of flame front in PDE is because of the detonation wave formed during the combustion of the fuel mixture which is in the order of 2000 m/s and is based on constant volume combustion. A process called Deflagration to Detonation Transition (DDT) can be used for which turbulence has to be created inside the combustion chamber. The obstacles used in this study were vortex generators and the CAD model of the engine and the obstacles assembly was made in SOLIDWORKS 19.0 software. ANSYS (FLUENT) 16.0 was used for the simulation of the combustion inside the combustion chamber using the Species Transport Model for the performance evaluation.