Fundamentals of Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE)

and Related Propulsion Technology

Dora Musielak, Ph.D.

Aerospace Engineering Consulting
Arlington, TX

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted, unless for course participation, in any form
or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Author. Contact D. Musielak,
[email protected]
 Pure PDE Cycle

Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE) : type of propulsion system that utilizes detonation waves to combust
fuel and oxidizer mixture. Engine is pulsed because mixture must be renewed from combustion chamber
between each detonation wave initiated .

1: Fuel-Oxidizer 2: Detonation 3: Detonation 4: High 5: Detonation wave exits

Injected and Initiated by wave moves pressure gas chamber and air is drawn
Mixed ignition source through gas fills detonation in by reduced pressure
mixture chamber

FILL DETONATE EXHAUST

Repeat

Thrust is directly proportional to detonation frequency

 Why PDEs?

Advantages Applications
•  Increased Thermodynamic •  Cruise Missiles
Efficiency •  Supersonic Aircraft
•  Higher Isp •  Hypersonic Missiles
•  Reduced SFC •  Hybrid Turbine-PDE
•  Design Simplicity •  UAV
•  Increased Thrust-to-Weight Ratio •  UCAV
•  Increased Thrust-to-Volume Ratio •  SSTO Launch Vehicles
•  Lower Cost •  Precision Guided Munitions
•  Mach Range 0 – 4 •  Drones
•  Easy Vehicle Integration

Increased cycle efficiency results from quasi-constant volume process

PDEs potential for easier scaling extrapolates to substantial reductions in

development time, when compared to conventional turbine engines.
3
 Why PDEs?

Is it possible to augment gas turbine performance with PDEs

to extend supersonic flight regime?

4
 Why PDEs?

Is a PDE/SCRAM/PDRE a viable
propulsion system for Spaceplanes?

03-06

PDRE = Pulse Detonation Rocket Engine

SCRAM = Scramjet è supersonic combustion ramjet engine for M > 5
5
 Preface

•  Revolutionary propulsion is required to achieve high-speed cruise

capability within atmosphere, and for low cost reliable Earth-to-orbit
vehicles.
•  Pulse detonation engines (PDEs) have potential performance
advantages over air breathing and rocket propulsion, bypassing
limitations of existing concepts.
•  Proposed applications for detonation combustion include
–  cruise missiles, UAV, ...
–  supersonic aircraft, and
–  SSTO launchers.
•  This course highlights fundamentals of pulse detonation engines
and other related propulsion concepts, addressing performance
characteristics, enabling technologies, and current R&D initiatives to
develop new propulsion systems.

6
 Nomenclature and Terminology

•  A list of common terms and basic definitions is provided in a

separate handout to facilitate communicating the concepts
introduced in the course.
•  In 2002, Kaemming, Lidstone, and Sammann proposed a
component nomenclature, station (spatial) designation, process
and event (temporal) designation and terminology for the unique
PDE scheduling characteristics. Ref. AIAA 2002-3631.
•  Nomenclature proposal is based on several years of PDE analysis
and testing by Boeing and Pratt & Whitney and is based on
accepted practices, such as SAE Standard AS7551.
•  To date, no standard has been formally issued for PDEs, and so
we will follow the recommendations in AIAA paper 2002-3631

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 7

 Nomenclature and Terminology

See Appendix 1

8
 Introduction to PDEs

•  Propulsion Comparison
•  A Vision for the Future
•  Limits of Turbo-Engines
•  Ideal Cycles
•  Combustion Modes
•  Pure Pulse Detonation Engine
•  Detonation for Propulsion
•  Modeling a Single Cycle
•  PDE Thermodynamic Cycle

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 9

 Propulsion Comparison
Seeking Revolutionary Propulsion Ideas

F m! f
I sp = SFC =
g o m! f F

Need improved SFC performance

10
 Highest Supersonic Speed: M = 3.2

Turbofan engines in high performance aircraft such as F-15

“Eagle” fighter can achieve Mach 2.5
F-16 “Fighting Falcon” jet fighter and F-22 “Raptor” are
limited to Mach 2.

SR-71

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 11

 A Vision for the Future

Air Breathing Propulsion Requirements

q  Reduced SFC
q  Higher Thermodynamic Efficiency
q  Higher Isp
q  Design Simplicity
q  Increased Thrust-to-Weight Ratio
q  Increased Thrust-to-Volume Ratio
q  Lower Cost
q  Mach range 0 – 10
q  Manufacturing Simplicity
q  Easy Vehicle Integration

Develop air-breathing engine capable of

propelling aircraft beyond Mach 2.5.
Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 12
 Turbine Engine Limits

•  At Mach > 3, compressed air reaches such extreme

temperatures that compressor stage fan blades begin to fail.
•  Compressor exit temperature limits pressure ratio.
•  Turbine inlet temperature limits thrust.

Inlet
Efficiency
Static pressure
balance

P&W F100 AB Turbofan

Rotational Compressor exit

speed temperature limits F 2 T
pressure ratio = ( t 4 − 1)
m! ao γ − 1 To
Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 13
 Turbofan with Afterburner

•  Efficient with continuous afterburner at ~ Mach 3.

•  Afterburner provides temporary increase in thrust,
for supersonic flight and take off
•  Slower bypass airflow produces thrust more
efficiently than high-speed air from core, reducing
specific fuel consumption.

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 14

 P&W F-100-

Performance
Maximum thrust:
17,800 lbf (79.1 kN) military thrust
29,160 lbf (129.6 kN) with afterburner
Overall pressure ratio: 32:1

Specific fuel consumption:

Military thrust: 0.76 lb/(lbf·h) (77.5 kg/(kN·h))
F-16 Full afterburner: 1.94 lb/(lbf·h) (197.8 kg/
(kN·h))
Thrust-to-weight ratio: 7.8:1 (76.0 N/kg)

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 15

 Ideal Thermodynamic Cycle

Brayton cycle: heat addition

net W!out
ηth = !
at constant pressure Qin
Q! in = rate of thermal energy released
Q! in = m! c p (T4 − T3 )
net W!out = net power out of engine
net W!out = W!t − W!c = m! c p [T4 − T5 − (T3 − T2 )] ηth = thermal efficiency of engine

(T4 − T5 ) − (T3 − T2 ) (T − T ) T 1
ηB = = 1− 5 2 = 1− 2 ηB = 1−
(T4 − T3 ) (T4 − T3 ) T3 ( p3 / p2 ) (γ −1) / γ

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 16

 Burner Exit Temperature T4

•  Increasing T4 enlarges useful work output (isobars diverge )

•  However, distance between stations 3 and 4 increases also è
more heat has to be added and thus more fuel is needed.
•  Thermal efficiency is only dependant on compressor pressure
ratio P3/P2 and does not change with T4

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 17

 Higher T4, Lower Efficiency

•  However, isentropic exponent is not constant but

decreases when temperature increases è
thermodynamic efficiency decreases with T4!

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 18

 Heat Addition and Pressure

Can we improve thermodynamic cycle

efficiency with a pressure-gain process?
Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 19
 Ideal Thermodynamic Cycle

Constant volume
heat addition
3*
Q! in

3 4

2 5
Humphrey cycle: heat
addition at constant volume
1
⎛ T4 ⎞
γ

⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ − 1
T T Thermal efficiency improves by more
η H = 1 − γ 2 ⎝ 3 ⎠ than 15% and as much as 10 to 40%
T3 T4 − 1 improvement in Isp (Ref. Bussing (1996);
T3 Heiser & Pratt (2002); Povinelli (2002))

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 20

 Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE)

Ideal PDE thermodynamic efficiency higher than turbo-

engine because a detonation wave rapidly compresses
mixture and adds heat at ~ constant volume.

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 21

 Propulsion Performance

jected (H 2
P D E s p r o
fuel in air)

(HC
PDEs projected
fuel in air)

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 22

 Combustion Modes

Deflagration Detonation
Subsonic Supersonic
Combustion Combustion

Unsteady Steady or Unsteady Steady or

Pulsed or Continuous Pulsed or Continuous
Intermittent Intermittent Combustion

Ø  Pulse Jets Ø Turbojets Ø  PDEs Ø  Scramjets ?

Ø  Ramjets Ø  PDREs Ø  RDE
Ø  Scramjets
Deflagration èsubsonic spread of Detonation è supersonic spread of
combustion by thermal conductivity combustion by shock compression.
23
 Combustion Modes: Detonation and Deflagration

•  Deflagrations are subsonic •  Detonations are supersonic

combustion waves: M1< 1 waves: M1 >1
•  Typical deflagrations •  Typical detonation waves propagate
propagate at speeds on the at a velocity on the order of 2000 m/s
order of 1-100 m/s (4 < M1 < 8)
•  Across a deflagration, the •  Pressure increase across a
pressure decreases while the detonation, while the volume
volume increases, P2 < P1 and decreases: P2 > P1, V2 < V1
V2 > V1 •  Detonations in HC fuel: P2/P1 ~ 20

u1
u2

P1 P2
24
 Deflagration and Detonation

• Combustion or burning is sequence of exothermic chemical

reactions between fuel and an oxidant accompanied by production
of heat and conversion of chemical species.
Flame propagates from right

Reactants Products
u1 u2
P1, T1, ρ1, M1 P2, T2, ρ2, M2

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 25

 Detonation vs Deflagration: Qualitative Differences

•  Qualitative differences between upstream and

downstream properties across detonation wave are
similar to property differences across normal shock
•  Main differences:
–  Normal shock wave: downstream velocity always
subsonic
–  Detonation wave: downstream velocity always local
speed of sound
•  Note that detonation waves can fall into strong and weak
classes
•  Strong detonation: subsonic burned gas velocity
•  Weak detonation: supersonic burned gas velocity

26
 Wave Properties

•  Normal shock property ratios are qualitatively similar to those of

detonations and of same magnitude
–  Except that for detonation downstream velocity is sonic
•  Mach number increases across flame for deflagrations
–  Mach number is very small and thus is not a very useful parameter to
characterize a deflagration
•  Velocity increases substantially and density drops substantially
across a deflagration
–  Effects are opposite in direction as compared with detonations or shock
waves
•  Pressure is essentially constant across a deflagration (actually
it decreases slightly), while detonation has high pressure
downstream of propagating wave
•  Characteristic shared by shock, detonation, and deflagration is large
temperature increase across wave

27
 Detonation for Propulsion

Oblique Detonation Wave Engine (ODWE)

•  Combustible gas mixture velocity equals or exceeds detonation Chapman-
Jouguet (CJ) velocity.
•  Detonation waves (DWs) or oblique detonation waves (ODWs) are positioned to
propagation to create thrust

combust injected combustible mixture.

Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE)

Detonation wave (DW)

•  Cyclically detonates fuel and atmospheric air mixtures to generate thrust.

•  A shock wave compresses gas and this is followed by rapid release of heat and
a sudden rise in pressure.
•  PDE generates thrust intermittently, and it produces a significant pressure rise
in combustor.
•  Detonation-generated pressure rise represents primary benefits of a PDE in that
it may reduce engine compression requirements.

Continuous Detonation Engine (CDE)

•  Combustible gas mixture is injected along axial direction, and DWs propagate in
azimuthal direction.
•  Two directions are independent, DWs can continuously propagate with range of
combustible gas injection velocities and do not require multi-time ignition.

28
 Pure PDE Cycle

1: Fuel-Oxidizer 2: High 3: Detonation 4: High 5: Detonation wave exits

Injected and pressure wave moves pressure gas chamber and air is drawn
Mixed detonation through gas fills detonation in by reduced pressure
Initiated mixture at chamber
supersonic speed

FILL DETONATE EXHAUST

Repeat

Thrust is directly proportional to detonation frequency

 Detonation Initiation

•  A detonation may form via direct initiation or via deflagration-to-

detonation transition (DDT).
•  Direct initiation is dependent upon an ignition source driving a blast
wave of sufficient strength such that igniter is directly responsible for
initiating detonation. It requires extremely large energy.
•  DDT begins with a deflagration initiated by relatively weak energy
source which accelerates through interactions with its surroundings
into a coupled shock wave-reaction zone structure characteristic of a
detonation.
•  After spark creates a deflagration, transition process can take
several meters or longer and a large amount of time.

Key to detonation initiation schemes for PDEs is to shorten distance

and time required for deflagration-to-detonation transition (DDT).
30
 PDE Requirements

Ø  Ignition and mixing must occur quickly to minimize cycle

time and maximize thrust.
Ø  DDT must occur quickly and in a short distance. Shortening
DDT time decreases the detonate part of the cycle, allowing
a frequency increase that is accompanied by a thrust
increase.
Ø  Shortening DDT distance decreases necessary thrust tube
length, resulting in weight savings, a great advantage for
propulsion.

1 2 3 31
 PDE Cycle (Basic Cycle Process)

1.  Initially, chamber at ambient

conditions
2.  Propellant injected from
closed end
* Sidewall injection also works
and may improve mixing
3.  Ignition from closed end
4.  Wave propagation and
transition in chamber
5.  Wave exits chamber
6.  Exhaust and purge

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 32

 Rankine-Hugoniot Combustion Map

Conservation equations for mass, momentum, M1 M2

and energy for combustion waves in steady,
inviscid, and constant-area flow.
P1 , v1 , ρ1 P2 , v2 , ρ2
ρ1v1 = ρ2v2 Combustion
P1 + ρ1v12 = P2 + ρ 2v22 wave

h1 + 12 v12 = h2 + 12 v22
Hugoniot is locus of possible solutions for state 2
from a given state 1 and a given energy release

Rayleigh line relates states 1 and 2.

Solution state is at intersection of Hugoniot and
Rayleigh line.

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 33

 Chapman-Jouguet C-J Condition

•  Solution to conservation equations is determined considering:

–  For deflagrations, wave structure, and turbulent and diffusive processes
determine propagation speed.
–  For detonations, gas dynamic considerations are sufficient to determine
solution.
–  Chapman (1899) and Jouguet (1905) proposed that detonations travel
at one particular velocity, which is minimum velocity for all solutions on
detonation branch.
•  At solution point (Chapman-Jouguet detonation point), Hugoniot,
Rayleigh line, and isentrope are tangent. Flow behind a C-J
detonation is sonic relative to wave: M2=1.
•  C-J points divide Hugoniot into 4 regions:
–  Weak deflagrations (subsonic to subsonic)
–  Strong deflagrations (subsonic to supersonic)
–  Weak detonations (supersonic to supersonic)
–  Strong detonations (supersonic to subsonic)

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 34

 C-J Velocity

•  Chapman-Jouguet (C-J) condition: for an infinitesimal thin detonation,

detonation wave proceeds at a velocity at which reacting gases just
reach sonic velocity (in frame of lead shock) as reaction ceases.
•  Assumes chemical reaction takes place at moment when shock
compresses material
•  Chapman-Jouguet velocity: velocity of an ideal detonation as
determined by C-J condition: burned gas at end of reaction zone
travels at sound speed relative to detonation wave front.
•  C-J velocities can be computed numerically by solving for
thermodynamic equilibrium and satisfying mass, momentum, and energy
conservation for a steadily-propagating wave terminating in a sonic
point.
•  C-J velocities in typical fuel-air mixtures between 1400 and 1800 m/s.

Speed of sound: 331 m/s in air.

35
 PDE Thermodynamic Cycle (Heiser & Pratt, 2002

•  Process 3 è 4 models normal

detonation wave in a PDE (ZND
wave model)

•  Entropy generated in detonation

wave heat addition process
is sum of that generated in
process from 3 to 3a (adiabatic
normal shock wave) and that
generated in process from 3a to 4
(constant-area heat addition
process) that follows.

Thermal efficiency of ideal Humphrey cycle is close to, but always

somewhat less than, that of ideal PDE cycle – H&P

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 36

 Summary of Chapter 1

•  Revolutionary propulsion is required to achieve high-speed cruise

capability within atmosphere, and for low cost reliable earth-to-orbit
vehicles.
•  Pulse detonation engines (PDEs) have potential performance
advantages over air breathing and rocket propulsion, bypassing
limitations of existing concepts.
•  Propulsion architectures that use pulsed and continuous detonation
combustion offer more efficient thermodynamic properties, and thus
are expected to exhibit a higher level of performance than more
conventional propulsion that rely simply on deflagration combustion
process.
•  Chapter 2 will provide an overview of detonation-based propulsion,
including hybrid turbine-PDE and Continuous Detonation Wave
Engine (CDWE) concepts.

37
 Next
Generation
Supersonic
P&W F100 Air Breathing
GE F110 Engine
P&W F119

J58 GE F414
R-R/Snecma P&W
Olympus 593 F100-232

Air Breathing PDE Technology – D. Musielak 38

 Detonation

•  Detonation is a shock wave sustained by energy released by

combustion
•  Combustion process, in turn, is initiated by shock wave compression
and resulting high temperatures
•  Detonations involve interaction between fluid mechanic processes
(shock waves) and thermochemical processes (combustion)

39