Investigations in Multiphase Detonations

A simultaneous campaign of experiment and simulation is conducted in order to develop and validate models for liquid fuel droplet processing by detonation waves. Engine cycles operating on detonation combustion promise the high-performance, efficient propulsion necessary for sustained air breathing flight at sub- and supersonic speeds. Development of engines operating on such cycles requires a thorough understanding of the relevant physics involved. For many practical and performance purposes, liquid-fueled engines are of interest for feasible flight platforms. It is therefore imperative to understand fully the mechanisms by which liquid fuel droplets injected into a detonation engine are processed by the detonation. This is a complex multiphase phenomena, consisting of simultaneous droplet breakup, evaporation, and reaction. We present measurements from our newly built multiphase detonation tube along with simulation results capturing the effects of droplet size and spatial distribution and simultaneous breakup, evaporation, and reaction.