Quasi-Two-Dimensional Simulation of a Rotating Detonation Engine Combustor and Injector

A numerical simulation of an annular rotating detonation engine with stoichiometric hydrogen–oxygen is performed. A generic, well-posed, and easily implemented approach using a quasi-two-dimensional method to model the area variations through the rotating detonation engine’s injector and combustor is presented. The detonation–injector interaction is studied for the case with a ratio of four between the combustor and injector’s throat areas. A shock wave is formed in the divergent portion of the injector due to the high backpressure created by the detonation in the combustor. A Favre-averaged steady-state analysis of stream lines and particle paths reveals that the shock causes an irrecoverable loss of stagnation pressure. Stagnation pressure gain in the combustor is insufficient to make up for the loss, and the flow leaves the engine with lower stagnation pressure than in the plenum.