What is a Pulse Detonation Engine?
One of the newest and most exciting areas of pulse-jet development is the
Pulse Detonation Engine (PDE). While they work on similar principles to a
regular pulsejet, the PDE has one very fundamental difference -- it detonates
the air/fuel mixture rather than just allowing it to simply deflagrate (burn
vigorously).
Advantages
New TechnologyImproved fuel efficiencyGreater operational range
Higher AltitudesHigher Mach Numbers (0 – 4+)Longer Flight Range
Reduced Flight CostsSimpler Mechanical ConstructionNo Pre - Compression RequiredDual Operational Mode for Single-Stage to Orbit (SSTO) Vehicle
Conceptual Advantages II
• High Thrust Density• High Specific Impulse• Significant Static
Thrust, • Natural Geometry for
Integration into a Combined Cycle Engine
How do PDEs work?
Design Challenges
• DDT (Deflagration to Detonation Transition)
• Inlet pressure ratio
• Valve configurations
• Overall injector ignition timing
• Potential Fuels
• Material selection