Researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory Regional Network – Midwest and Purdue University are developing an alternative to liquid or gaseous rotating detonation engine fuels.
The team recently filed a patent disclosure for the development of solid fuels for rotating detonation rocket engines, which can pave the way for smaller engines with more efficient and powerful propulsion compared to conventional constant-pressure combustion systems, AFRL said.
According to Eric Paulson, a senior aerospace engineer at AFRL, solid propellants for rotating detonation are a fairly new technology.
“There’s a lot of work that has been done with liquids, but rotating detonation with solid fuel is a pretty new game,” he commented.
The novel propulsion system creates thrusts by instigating a continuous detonation wave to burn fuel.
Terrence Meyer, professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue, explained that the detonative combustion is supersonic, ensuring that the fuel “burns faster and burns at a higher pressure at a constant volume.”
Moreover, solid fuels, which are more stable compared to liquid or gaseous fuels, offer advantages to the military.
Steven Son, also a professor at Purdue, pointed out that solid fuels can be stored on a shelf for five years without issues. Meyer added that solids are less likely to leak and create a safety issue.
The AFRL Regional Network – Midwest is headquartered in Purdue. It is currently working with over 200 businesses and academic institutions across the Midwest region.