Pressure gain combustion concepts, including Rotating Detonation Engines (RDE) are a potentially revolutionary technology which utilize pressure rise from the combustion process to produce momentum and/or pressure. Recent research at the Detonation Engine Research Facility at Wright-Patterson AFB has advanced the state-of-the-art through computational and experimental studies utilizing several in-house developed codes and research engines. Areas of work include combustion/detonation initiation, fuel injection, controls, materials, power extraction, heat transfer, nozzles, ejectors, hybrid detonation/turbine engines, rockets, flame stability, ram/scram combustion, rotary/continuous detonation concepts, valving, acoustics, emissions, and diagnostics. A wide variety of research opportunities are available utilizing the unique detonation research facilities, high-speed instrumentation (up to 5 Mhz per channel), high-speed imaging (up to 1,000,000 fps), laser diagnostics, computational tools, and research engines. Recent research projects have included plasma initiation studies and regenerative endothermic fuel cooling.

 

References:

“Experimental Performance Scaling of Rotating Detonation Engines Operated on Gaseous Fuels,” M.L. Fotia, J.L. Hoke, and F. Schauer, Journal of Propulsion and Power, 33(5): 1187–1196, 2017. doi: 10.2514/1.B36213.

“Thermodynamic model of a rotating detonation engine,” C.A. Nordeen, D. Schwer, F. Schauer, J. Hoke, Th. Barber, and B. Cetegen, Combustion, Explosion, and Shock Waves, Vol 50, Issue 5, pp 568-577, Sept 2014.

“Effect of Supercritical Fuel Injection on Cycle Performance of Pulsed Detonation Engines,” T.M. Helfrich, P. King, J. Hoke, and F. Schauer, Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol 23, Nov 4 2007.

 

Pressure gain combustion; Detonation combustion; Pulse detonation engine; Wave rotor combustion; Hybrid turbine; Laser diagnostics

citizenship

Open to U.S. citizens

level

Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants

Additional Benefits

relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.