Experimental and CFD study of a subscale rotating detonation combustor fed with gaseous H2-O2

Ewen BARD, Dmitry DAVIDENKO, Stéphane BOULAL, Pierre VIDAL, Wolfgang ARMBRUSTER, Michael BÖRNER, Justin S. HARDI

DOI Number: N/A

Conference number: HiSST-2025-110

Understanding the physical phenomena in a Rotating Detonation Engine combustor is essential for its practical application. Sub-scale Rotating Detonation Combustor testing enables extensive investigation under diverse conditions, clarifying the factors that influence detonation characteristics. Numerical simulations further enhance the comprehension of the combustor dynamics by revealing the intricate interactions from mixture formation to detonation, with a consensus highlighting mixture formation as key to stable, efficient detonation. A collaboration between ONERA and DLR is studying a subscale RDE combustor fed with gaseous H2/O2. DLR manufactured and tested the combustor at the Lampoldshausen Centre, yielding data on injection parameters and detonation characteristics (wave number, propagation direction, and velocity). ONERA employs its CFD code CEDRE in an LES approach, modeling the entire chamber with the injector to capture the unsteady effects of periodic detonations on injection and mixing. This article presents experimental and numerical results for some selected cases, illustrating the alignment between both methods and offering insights into the mechanisms driving specific detonation
regimes, particularly focusing on fresh mixture formation and conditions in the refill region.

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co-rotating, counter-rotating, detonation regime, injection, rotating detonation

In Categories: 1.Events, 1.HiSST 2025, Propulsion Systems & Components

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