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New Chinese hypersonic engine increases efficiency and feasibility of high-speed travel
Researchers in China have introduced an innovative concept to hypersonic engines, combining detonation and ramjet technologies to create a more efficient engine. A team at Tsinghua University in Beijing developed the Ram-Rotor Detonation Engine (RRDE), which integrates a detonation engine with a rotor compressor inspired by ramjets (type of jet engine that has no moving parts).
This combination is intended to provide continuous thrust and improve overall performance in high-speed flight, overcoming the limitations of engines current.
Versatile hypersonic engine design and innovative structure
The new RRDE design aims to provide a more efficient and reliable propulsion cycle. Detonation, characterized by its rapid combustion, generates high pressures, compressing fuel and air with shock waves and releasing intense energy.
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This concept is an evolution in relation to pulsed detonation engines (PDE) and rotary detonation engines (RDE), which have difficulty maintaining constant thrust in practical conditions.
How does RRDE work?
The RRDE uses rotating blades that continuously compress, ignite and expand gases. Inspired by ram rotor compressors, it allows for the stabilization of shock waves, increasing pressure and thrust in an optimal manner.
The RRDE structure includes a rotor with blades in a helical pattern, housed in a stationary casing. As fuel and air pass through the channels between the blades, extension, interference and expansion occur in a compact system.
Main benefits of RRDE
- Continuous and stable operation: The design allows continuous detonations and results, providing high pressure and efficiency.
- Speed flexibility: Capable of operating at different speeds, the RRDE adapts to the rotor speed, making it more versatile.
- Reducing disruptive shocks: Minimizes the formation of disruptive shock waves, ensuring improved performance.
This system differs from detonation engines intentionally by offering more reliable propulsion, capable of operating at low starting speeds.
For hypersonic aircraft, the RRDE represents a significant advance, given that previous engines, such as the oblique detonation engine and the pulsed detonation engine, were not as effective.
Test results and impact on RRDE performance
The tests carried out allowed the RRDE to achieve combination, fusion and expansion processes in a single rotor. It uses a fixed detonation wave in relation to the rotor, which increases pressure and efficiency, highlighting the systems current.
RRDE operates smoothly at various speeds, simplifying the combustion process. The main factors that determine engine performance are relative inlet velocity (V0), absolute inlet velocity and fuel-to-air ratio (ϕ).
Challenges and limitations faced
Despite the advantages, the development of RRDE still faces challenges. Researchers have identified that maintaining stable detonation at lower velocities is a barrier to be overcome.
Protecting the blades from intense heat and the rotor's resistance at hypersonic speeds also pose difficulties for complete engine predictions.
Numerical simulations have shown that the RRDE has the ability to stabilize detonation waves and adjust to various input configurations.
Practical tests using a hydrogen mixture provide a significant pressure increase, with a lift of 1,6. This performance is reinforced by the achievement of injection speeds of up to Mach 4,2 and combustion gas temperatures close to 2.100 Kelvin (approximately 1.827 °C).
A team of Tsinghua researchers is committed to resolving the outstanding issues by exploring new materials and cooling methods that could improve the RRDE design.
These advances position RRDE as a viable option for hypersonic propulsion, opening up new possibilities for high-speed travel and aerospace applications.
