Continuous Detonation Engine and Effects of Different Types of Nozzle on Its Propulsion Performance

 The rotating propagation of a continuous detonation engine (CDE) with different types of nozzles is investigated in three-dimensional numerical simulation using a one-step chemical reaction model. Flux terms are solved by the so-called monotonicity-preserving weighted essentially non-oscillatory (MPWENO) scheme. The simulated flow field agrees well with the previous experimental results. Once the initial transient effects die down, the detonation wave maintains continuous oscil-latory propagation in the annular chamber as long as fuel is continuously injected. Using a numerical flow field, the propulsion performance of a CDE is computed for four types of nozzles, namely the constant-area nozzle, Laval nozzle, diverging nozzle and converging nozzle. The gross specific impulse of the CDE ranges 1 540-1 750 s and the mass flux per square meter ranges 313-330 kg/(m2&;#8226;s) for different nozzles. Among these four types of nozzles, Laval nozzle performs the best, and these parame-ters are 1 800 N, 1 750 s and 313 kg/(m2&;#8226;s). A nozzle can greatly improve the propulsion performance.