ORCID

0009-0003-6953-7287

Keywords

Detonation, Hypersonic, Scramjet

Abstract

Detonative combustion offers significant thermodynamic advantages for high‑speed propulsion, motivating the development of detonation‑based combustors for hypersonic flight. Among these, oblique detonation wave (ODW) engines require extremely high combustor velocities to achieve steady wave stabilization. While most prior experimental and numerical studies have focused on planar two‑dimensional geometries, axisymmetric combustors offer practical benefits for hypersonic vehicle integration and may influence achievable pressure gain. However, the effects of inward‑turning axisymmetric compression on ODW formation and performance remain largely unexplored. This work presents an experimentally stabilized ODW formed on an internal axisymmetric converging ramp. Experiments were conducted in a high‑enthalpy blowdown wind tunnel to reproduce flight‑relevant Mach numbers and mixture conditions. ODW stabilization was confirmed through synchronized static pressure measurements and high‑speed broadband chemiluminescence imaging. Comparison with prior planar ODW experiments shows that the axisymmetric configuration produces a 7–13% higher pressure rise at comparable combustor conditions. To interpret these results, a one‑dimensional analytical model was developed to predict pressure gain in axisymmetric ODW flows, exhibiting trends consistent with the experimental data. The enhanced pressure rise observed in this geometry suggests that axisymmetric ODW combustors may offer improved propulsive performance and provide a promising pathway for practical detonation‑based hypersonic engine design.

Completion Date

2026

Semester

Spring

Committee Chair

Ahmed, Kareem

Degree

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Identifier

DP0053258

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