The Effect of Chemical Mechanisms on Rotating Detonation Combustor

The Rotating Detonation Combustor (RDC) is an emerging technology in the field of propulsion that shows great promise in terms of potential for significant improvements in fuel efficiency and power density when compared to conventional combustion systems. The combustion process in RDCs involves both deflagration and detonation, as well as complex fluid dynamics, including oblique and reflected shock waves. Because of this complexity, the chemical mechanisms are crucial for developing accurate numerical models of RDCs. In this study, a two-dimensional RDC simulation was conducted utilizing three distinct chemical mechanisms. The objective of the study was to elucidate the disparities between the chemical models. For this study, the following chemical mechanisms were selected for comparison: Burke, USCD, and one-step chemical mechanisms. For comparison, a range of metrics was analyzed, including, but not limited to, parameters such as detonation height, thrust, specific impulse and peak values of static pressure and temperature. Furthermore, numerical Schlieren images were obtained for each chemical mechanism and compared to enable a more detailed analysis of the wavefront.