Keywords
Gaseous detonations, Cellular structure, Pressure gain combustion, Oblique detonation wave, Combustion modeling
Abstract
The advent of detonation-based propulsion systems represents an opportunity for more sustainable combustion processes and hypersonic travel. In regular detonations, some yet to be resolved instabilities are attributed to the propagation and collision of triple points, formed at the intersection of a Mach stem, an incident shock and a transverse wave. Over time, the tracks observed by these points form a structure made of diamond-shaped cells. Ultimately, The ability to sustain these instabilities plays a key role in the propagation of detonations. The present work unveils the dynamics of gaseous detonations at a sub-cellular level. The experiments are conducted with hydrogen fuel which is of great potential for detonation engine applications. The hydrogen-oxygen mixtures are held at stoichiometry and the nitrogen dilution in oxygen is varied from 30% to 70%. This allows to observe the effects of activation energy through the dilution on the sub-cellular wave dynamics. Measurements of cell sizes and wave velocity are reported through shadowgraph imaging. A new methodology is developed for the simultaneous resolution of the velocity field and cellular structure. The statistical analysis is made possible due to the design of a fully automated detonation facility. The experiments are conducted in a thin channel to minimize gradients in the third direction and confine the detonation cells to a plane. The results in cell sizes are in good agreement with the literature and expand the conditions reported thus far. Local observations of the velocity within the cells are used to explain the regularity of the overall wave speed, found to increase at lower dilution. Lastly, high fidelity simulations are conducted to model the cellular structure in hydrogen-air oblique detonation waves. Similarly to the experiments, the velocity field is extracted along the detonation cells and reveals the effects of wave curvature on triple point dynamics.
Completion Date
2024
Semester
Summer
Committee Chair
Ahmed, Kareem
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
College
College of Engineering and Computer Science
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Degree Program
Aerospace Engineering
Format
application/pdf
Identifier
DP0028486
URL
https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0028486
Language
English
Release Date
8-15-2027
Length of Campus-only Access
3 years
Access Status
Doctoral Dissertation (Campus-only Access)
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Cideme, Robyn, "Statistical Analysis of the Cellular Structure in Normal and Oblique Detonation Waves" (2024). Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024. 281.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd2023/281
Accessibility Status
Meets minimum standards for ETDs/HUTs
Restricted to the UCF community until 8-15-2027; it will then be open access.