Effervescent Atomizing Structure for Rotating Detonation Combustor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotating detonation combustion systems face challenges in achieving efficient liquid fuel atomization and maintaining a desired detonation cell size across various operating conditions, which limits their efficiency and applicability due to complex geometries and tight-tolerance requirements.
Innovation Solution
The method involves effervescent atomization of liquid fuel in a rotating detonation combustor using a nozzle assembly that mixes liquid fuel with a gas flow, producing a gas-liquid fuel mixture, which is then ignited with an oxidizer to maintain a constant detonation cell size across different operating conditions, allowing for larger fuel-oxidizer injection ports and improved combustion stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If liquid fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber, then the fuel injection port size can be large, but the liquid fuel atomization is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A gas flow is introduced as an intermediary medium between the liquid fuel injection and the combustion chamber. The gas flow interacts with the liquid fuel to promote atomization and mixing, enabling effective fuel preparation without requiring precision-engineered injection ports or complex atomization structures.
2Ease of manufacture
If the combustion chamber geometry is fixed, then the manufacturing is simple, but the detonation cell size cannot be maintained across various operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains a fixed combustion chamber geometry but achieves adaptability by changing the parameters of the incoming fuel-oxidizer mixture. By controlling the mixture composition, pressure, and temperature through the gas-mediated injection process, the detonation cell size is maintained across various operating conditions without requiring variable geometry structures.
3Productivity
If multiple small orifices are used for fuel injection, then the fuel-oxidizer mixing is rapid, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the atomization and mixing function from the traditional multi-orifice injection system. Instead of using multiple small precision orifices, a single larger injection port is used combined with a gas flow that performs the atomization and mixing functions, thereby simplifying the injection system while maintaining rapid mixing performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances liquid fuel atomization, enables larger fuel injection ports, and maintains combustion stability and efficiency across a range of operating conditions, improving performance and reducing manufacturing complexity.
Implementation Method 1
effervescent atomization of liquid fuel in a rotating detonation combustor using a nozzle assembly that mixes liquid fuel with a gas flow
Implementation Method 2
igniting the oxidizer-gas-liquid fuel mixture within a combustion chamber of the RDC system
Implementation Method 3
The detonation wave travels in a Mach number range greater than the speed of sound (e.g., Mach 4 to 8) with respect to the speed of sound of the reactants
Implementation Method 4
a fast moving shock wave closely coupled to the reaction zone
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system of effervescent atomization of liquid fuel for a rotating detonation combustor (RDC) for a propulsion system is provided. The method includes flowing liquid fuel through a fuel injection port of a nozzle assembly of the RDC system; flowing a gas through the fuel injection port of the nozzle assembly volumetrically proportional to the liquid fuel; producing a gas-liquid fuel mixture at the fuel injection port by mixing the flow of gas and the flow of liquid fuel; flowing an oxidizer through a nozzle flowpath of the RDC system; producing an oxidizer-gas-liquid fuel mixture by mixing the gas-liquid fuel mixture and the flow of oxidizer within the nozzle flowpath; and igniting the oxidizer-gas-liquid fuel mixture within a combustion chamber of the RDC system.