METHODS OF OPERATING A ROTATING DETONATION COMBUSTOR AT APPROXIMATELY CONSTANT DETONATION CELL SIZE

摘要

The present disclosure is directed to a method of operating a propulsion system including a rotating detonation combustion (RDC) system. The RDC system defines a combustion inlet at an upstream end, a combustion outlet at a downstream end, a combustion chamber therebetween, and a nozzle defined at the combustion inlet upstream of the combustion chamber, and a secondary flowpath extended from upstream of the nozzle to downstream of the nozzle. The method includes providing the combustion chamber of the rotating detonation combustion system to produce a detonation cell size configured for a first operating condition defining a lowest steady state operating condition of the propulsion system; generating a flow of oxidizer to the combustion inlet of the combustion section; providing a first portion of the flow of oxidizer to the combustion chamber and mixing the first portion of the flow of oxidizer with a fuel; providing a second portion of the flow of oxidizer to the secondary flowpath, wherein the secondary flowpath bypasses the combustion chamber; and adjusting a ratio of the first portion of the flow of oxidizer through the combustion chamber versus the second portion of the flow of oxidizer through the secondary flowpath based at least on a commanded power output of the propulsion system.