Performance Characterization of a Natural Gas–Air Rotating Detonation Engine
Abstract
An experimental study of a rotating detonation engine (RDE) operating with natural gas and air at elevated chamber pressures and air preheat temperatures was conducted to quantify its performance at conditions representative of land-based power generation gas turbine engines. Here, the thrust produced by the combustor was measured to characterize its work output potential. High-frequency pressure transducers and broadband chemiluminescence measurements of the flame provided information about the wave structure and dynamics. Analysis of common performance metrics demonstrated the necessity of normalizing any RDE performance parameter by the driving system potential, typically the reactant manifold pressure. Application of a thermodynamic performance model to a generic RDE identified the area ratio between the RDE exhaust and injection throats as the primary parameter affecting delivered pressure gain. The model was further applied to draw comparison with experimental measurements of net pressure gain for identical flow conditions. Only one of the two tested injector configurations followed the predicted trends, suggesting that performance of the second was governed by physical processes other than the reactant thermodynamics. Although an absolute pressure gain was not demonstrated, it is promising that the natural gas–air RDE delivered up to 90% of the theoretical performance.
- Authors:
-
- Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE), Oil & Natural Gas
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1774972
- Grant/Contract Number:
- FE0025343
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Propulsion and Power (Online)
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Journal of Propulsion and Power (Online); Journal Volume: 37; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1533-3876
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS
Citation Formats
Walters, Ian V., Lemcherfi, Aaron, Gejji, Rohan M., Heister, Stephen D., and Slabaugh, Carson D. Performance Characterization of a Natural Gas–Air Rotating Detonation Engine. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.2514/1.b38087.
Walters, Ian V., Lemcherfi, Aaron, Gejji, Rohan M., Heister, Stephen D., & Slabaugh, Carson D. Performance Characterization of a Natural Gas–Air Rotating Detonation Engine. United States. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.b38087
Walters, Ian V., Lemcherfi, Aaron, Gejji, Rohan M., Heister, Stephen D., and Slabaugh, Carson D. Sun .
"Performance Characterization of a Natural Gas–Air Rotating Detonation Engine". United States. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.b38087. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1774972.
@article{osti_1774972,
title = {Performance Characterization of a Natural Gas–Air Rotating Detonation Engine},
author = {Walters, Ian V. and Lemcherfi, Aaron and Gejji, Rohan M. and Heister, Stephen D. and Slabaugh, Carson D.},
abstractNote = {An experimental study of a rotating detonation engine (RDE) operating with natural gas and air at elevated chamber pressures and air preheat temperatures was conducted to quantify its performance at conditions representative of land-based power generation gas turbine engines. Here, the thrust produced by the combustor was measured to characterize its work output potential. High-frequency pressure transducers and broadband chemiluminescence measurements of the flame provided information about the wave structure and dynamics. Analysis of common performance metrics demonstrated the necessity of normalizing any RDE performance parameter by the driving system potential, typically the reactant manifold pressure. Application of a thermodynamic performance model to a generic RDE identified the area ratio between the RDE exhaust and injection throats as the primary parameter affecting delivered pressure gain. The model was further applied to draw comparison with experimental measurements of net pressure gain for identical flow conditions. Only one of the two tested injector configurations followed the predicted trends, suggesting that performance of the second was governed by physical processes other than the reactant thermodynamics. Although an absolute pressure gain was not demonstrated, it is promising that the natural gas–air RDE delivered up to 90% of the theoretical performance.},
doi = {10.2514/1.b38087},
journal = {Journal of Propulsion and Power (Online)},
number = 2,
volume = 37,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Oct 18 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Sun Oct 18 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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