Systems, apparatuses and methods for improved rotating detonation engines

Abstract

Rotating detonation engines are provided with various improvements pertaining to performance and reliability. Improvements pertain to, for example, a fluidic valve/premixing chamber, injection/swirl, flow control and turning, ignition, and cooling.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotating detonation engine, comprising:
 a detonation chamber configured to allow continuous detonation therein of a mixture of fuel and oxidizer; and   a fluidic valve upstream of the detonation chamber, configured to convey at least one of the fuel and the oxidizer into the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of injection ports (a) disposed downstream of the fluidic valve and upstream of the detonation chamber, and (b) configured for receiving at least one of the fuel and the oxidizer from the fluidic valve and injecting at least one of the fuel and the oxidizer into the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         3 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of injectors (a) disposed upstream of the fluidic valve, and (b) configured for conveying at least one of the fuel and the oxidizer into the fluidic valve.   
     
     
         4 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the fluidic valve functions also as a premixing chamber for mixing the fuel and the oxidizer prior to injection of the fuel and the oxidizer into the detonation chamber   
     
     
         5 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the fluidic valve is configured as an annular channel formed in a structure upstream of the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         6 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the fluidic valve comprises (a) an upstream portion and (b) a downstream portion disposed downstream of the upstream portion, and   wherein the fluidic valve is configured such that a cross-sectional area of the downstream portion exceeds a cross-sectional area of the upstream portion.   
     
     
         7 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a coolant channel configured to allow a fluid to flow therethrough,   wherein the coolant channel is disposed radially inward of the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         8 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the coolant channel is disposed adjacent a radially inner wall of the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         9 . A rotating detonation engine, comprising:
 a detonation chamber comprising a longitudinal axis and a sidewall and configured to allow continuous detonation in the detonation chamber of a mixture of fuel and oxidizer; and   a plurality of injection ports configured for injecting at least one of the fuel and the oxidizer into the detonation chamber,   wherein each of the plurality of injection ports comprises an upstream end and a downstream end, and wherein the plurality of injection ports is characterized by one of the following conditions:
 (1) all of the plurality of injection ports are axial injection ports extending, at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° relative to the longitudinal axis of the detonation chamber, from the upstream end of the respective injection port to the downstream end of the respective injection port; 
 (2) all of the plurality of injection ports are sidewall injection ports extending in a curved manner from the upstream end of the respective injection port to the downstream end of the respective injection port; or 
 (3) all of the plurality of injection ports are sidewall injection ports extending from the upstream end of the respective injection port to the downstream end of the respective injection port at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° relative to the sidewall of the detonation chamber or with an effective curvature, and one of the following sub-conditions holds: (a) all of the plurality of injection ports are disposed radially outward of the detonation chamber; (b) the radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the detonation chamber to a respective one of the injection ports is substantially identical for all of the plurality of injection ports; and (c) the effective curvature or the angle relative to the sidewall of the detonation chamber is substantially identical for all of the plurality of injection ports. 
   
     
     
         10 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein all of the plurality of injection ports are axial injection ports extending, at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° relative to the longitudinal axis of the detonation chamber, from the upstream end of the respective injection port to the downstream end of the respective injection port.   
     
     
         11 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein each of the plurality of injection ports is (1) straight, (2) contoured converging-diverging, or (3) conical converging-diverging.   
     
     
         12 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein all of the plurality of injection ports are sidewall injection ports extending in a curved manner from the upstream end of the respective injection port to the downstream end of the respective injection port.   
     
     
         13 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the sidewall of the detonation chamber is defined by a curvature, and each of the plurality of injection ports has a curvature that exceeds the curvature defining the sidewall of the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein all of the plurality of injection ports are sidewall injection ports extending from the upstream end of the respective injection port to the downstream end of the respective injection port with an effective curvature, or at an angle greater than 0° and less than 90° relative to the sidewall of the detonation chamber, and one of the following conditions holds: (a) all of the plurality of injection ports are disposed radially outward of the detonation chamber; (b) the radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the detonation chamber to a respective one of the injection ports is substantially identical for all of the plurality of injection ports; and (c) the effective curvature or the angle relative to the sidewall of the detonation chamber is substantially identical for all of the plurality of injection ports.   
     
     
         15 . A rotating detonation engine, comprising:
 a detonation chamber configured to allow continuous detonation therein of a mixture of fuel and oxidizer; and   flow turning vanes installed at or near a downstream end of the detonation chamber, configured to change a direction of an exit flow from the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The rotating detonation engine (RDE), according to  claim 15 ,
 wherein the flow turning vanes are fixed in position or adjustable.   
     
     
         17 . A rotating detonation engine, comprising:
 a detonation chamber configured to allow continuous detonation therein of a mixture of fuel and oxidizer; and   an igniter configured to ignite the fuel and the oxidizer so as to initiate the continuous detonation of the mixture of fuel and oxidizer,   wherein the igniter comprises a pulse detonation engine coupled to the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the pulse detonation engine extends in a direction tangential to the detonation chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the pulse detonation engine extends in a direction parallel to the detonation chamber and is coupled to the detonation chamber by a coupling extending in a direction tangential to the detonation chamber, and   wherein the pulse detonation engine extends from a position upstream or downstream of the detonation chamber to the coupling.   
     
     
         20 . The rotating detonation engine according to  claim 17 ,
 wherein the pulse detonation engine extends in a direction around the detonation chamber.