Article citation info:

KAWALEC, M., PERKOWSKI, W., ŁUKASIK, B. et al. Applications of the continuously rotating detonation to combustion engines
at the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation. Combustion Engines. 2022, 191(4), 51-57. https://doi.org/10.19206/CE-145409

Michał KAWALEC
Witold PERKOWSKI
Borys ŁUKASIK
Polish Scientific Society of Combustion Engines
Adam BILAR
Piotr WOLAŃSKI

Applications of the continuously rotating detonation to combustion engines

at the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation
ARTICLE INFO In the paper short information about advantages of introduction of detonation combustion to propulsion
systems is briefly discussed and then research conducted at the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation on
development of the rotating detonation engines (RDE) is presented. Special attention is focused on continuously
Received: 10 November 2021 rotating detonation (CRD), since it offers significant advantages over pulsed detonation (PD). Basic aspects of
Revised: 20 December 2021 initiation and stability of the CRD are discussed. Examples of applications of the CRD to gas turbine and rocket
Accepted: 29 December 2021 engines are presented and a combine cycle engine utilizing CRD are also evaluated. The world's first rocket
Available online: 2 January 2022 flight powered by liquid propellant detonation engine is also described.

Key words: detonation, detonation engines, RDE, experimental rocket

This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/BY/4.0/)

1. Introduction
The first idea concerning possibility of increasing effi-
ciency of engines due to applications of detonative combus-
tion came from Zeldovich [1], but at that time no one was
interested in this idea. At the end of fifties and beginning of
sixties of the last century continuously rotating spinning
detonation was discovered in Institute of Hydrodynamics of
the Soviet Academy of Sciences in Novosibirsk and was
described in a few publications [2–4]. At the same time at
the University of Michigan Nicholls et al. [5] was tested
laboratory model of the Pulsed Detonation Engine (PDE)
and a few years later research were undertaken on applica-
tions of CRD to rocket engines, but unfortunately at that Fig. 1. Graphical illustration of numbers of publication related to RDE
time they been unable to succeed. Adamson et al. was only research from time of first experimental obtainment of the continuously
rotating detonation up to recent time (2019) (Courtesy of Bing Wang) [16]
able to perform theoretical analysis of CRD structure in
combustion chamber of rocket engines [6, 7]. Since that 2. Detonation versus deflagration
time research on application of the CRD to propulsion It is well known that combustion of gaseous mixtures
system was abounded for many years. Research on applica- can happen at two different modes: deflagration and deto-
tion of detonation to the PDE were reinitiated at the end of nation. During deflagration, combustion is usually slow and
the last century by Edelman et al.[8, 9], and dominated the flame velocity is always subsonic, while for detonative
research on the applications of detonation to propulsion mode flame propagate with supersonic velocity. For defla-
system up to beginning of twenty first century. More in- grative combustion pressure at the end of combustion al-
formation about such research could be also find on survey ways decrease, while for detonative combustion is always
paper devoted to the PDE [10–12]. Only at the end of last increased. Typically for detonation of fuel air mixtures
century and the beginning of this one research on the possi- pressure can be increased about 15 times, while detonation
ble application of the CRD to propulsion system was nearly of fuels with gaseous oxygen can increase more than 30
simultaneously reinitiated in Russia, France, Poland and times. Details of the detonative combustion of gaseous
Japan then exponential interest on such system was signifi- mixtures can be found in many publications [14–17]. Be-
cantly increased [13–15]. Since that time many initiatives cause combustion of the same mixture can result in very
were undertaken to better understand nature of detonative different parameters depending on the deflagrative or deto-
propulsion and to develop engines based on detonation. The native mode, application of different modes of combustion
rate of increase publications devoted to RDE at the begin- to a propulsion system can also result in different perfor-
ning of XXI century is shown in Fig. 1. mance of the propulsion system. It was shown already in
The aim of the article is to discuss the latest works re- many publications that application of detonative combus-
lated to the issue of rotating detonation carried out at tion to engines can result in significant increase of engine
Łukasiewicz – Institute Aviation. efficiency. For example, if detonative combustion is applied
to the turbojet engine, theoretical engine efficiency could be
even increased more than 30% [14], but even if in reality

COMBUSTION ENGINES, 2022, 191(4) 51

Applications of the continuously rotating detonation to combustion engines at the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation

this efficiency will be increased only by 10%, the fuel sav- dB) and very high vibration, produced by the PDE, test of
ing for one year will result in many billions of dollars, as such propulsion system were terminated and this aircraft is
well as significant reduction of CO2 emission. now in Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force
Base – Fig. 3.
3. Detonative engines
Detonative combustion could be applied in three differ-
ent configurations of engines: Standing Detonation En-
gines, Pulsed Detonation Engines (PDE) and Rotating Det-
onation Engines (RDE). Application of detonation combus-
tion for Standing Detonation Engines was already proposed
in fifties of the last century [5, 25, 26], but beside theoreti-
cal analyses they have been extensively tested, since for
Fig. 3. The first and only flight of aircraft powered by PDE on 31 st of
a such engine operation speed is limited to the velocity January 2008 at the US Air Force Mojave Air and Space Port [23]
close to the theoretical detonation velocity. Such engine
could only operate in flight velocity higher than theoretical Similar thing happened to a gas turbine with pulsed det-
detonation velocity, but not too much higher, since then onation combustion chamber which has been developing by
external drag of the engine could overcome thrust produced GE [22]. Even the system was working at the laboratory
by the engine. Only realistic applications of the detonation conditions, pulsating character of detonation chamber cre-
to propulsion system are PDE and RDE engines configura- ated to many problems which have to be solved before
tions. application of such system to practical use. Termination of
3.1. Research on the PDE this project was also effected by rapid development of ap-
Principles of operation of the PDE is very simple. Long plication of continuously rotating detonation to propulsion
tube is filled with gaseous fuel (hydrogen) and air. When systems.
mixture is form, combustion is initiated by electrical spark. 3.2. Research of the RDE
Composition of the mixture and dimension of the tube Continuously rotating detonation, which was first dis-
should allow fast transition into detonation. During detona- covered nearly 60 years ago by Russian scientists in Novo-
tive combustion of the mixture, very high pressure is gener- sibirsk [2, 3], is now commonly used in developing of the
ated and thrust is produced. Then after completion of deto- RDE as well as in chambers of gas turbine, not only in
nation high pressure combustion products leaves tube and aircraft engines but it also could be used in stationary pow-
produce low pressure, due to expansion, and pressure in the er system installations. Typical scheme of annular detona-
tube drops below the surrounding pressure. This initiates tion chamber is shown in Fig.4.
flow of air into the tube and mix it with injected fuel. After Air or oxidizer is supply trough narrow entry slit and
mixture is created, ignition is again initiated and the new fuel is injected trough many tiny holes which are located
cycle begins. Detailed descriptions of such cycle can be around one wall of the detonation chamber.
found in [14, 15]. First pulsed detonation engine was build
and successfully tested at the University of Michigan (Fig.
2) [5], but at that time there were no interests in develop-
ment of such propulsion system, so research on PDE were
abandoned and reinitiated at the end of XX century [8–10].
Many PDE were developed in different laboratory [11–21],
mostly in USA, Russia and China, and at the beginning of
XXI century even experimental aircraft powered by PDE
was built and tested by a team from the US Air Force Re-
search Laboratory [12].

Fig. 4. Schematic diagram of annular detonation chamber [14]

Such way of oxidizer and fuel supply is necessary to en-

sure quick mixing of both components to form nearly uni-
Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of the first PDE developed at the University of form mixture which can support detonation. In the chamber
Michigan [5, 14] also initiator is installed to initiate detonation as well as
ports for measurement of detonation parameters. The height
The engine for this aircraft (Fig. 3) consisted of four of the annulus channel should be also larger than critical
tubes producing pulse detonations at a frequency of 80 Hz, dimension, which will allow detonation to propagate. So for
creating thrust of 890 newton. Only one test of such aircraft each mixture critical dimensions, which allow detonation to
was conducted during which the PDE operated only for 10 s propagate depends on mixture parameters, such as mixture
at the altitude of 30 m. Due to a very high noise (195–200 composition, initial pressure in the chamber and rate of

52 COMBUSTION ENGINES, 2022, 191(4)

 Applications of the continuously rotating detonation to combustion engines at the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation

mixture supply to the chamber [29–31]. If all necessary chamber and disk-shaped connected to the nozzle and other
conditions of mixture supply are fulfilled and sufficient [24–27, 35–41].
energy of initiation is released, then in a short time a stable
continuously rotating detonation in the chamber will be 4. Research on application of the CRD
achieved. Pressure record of stable detonation in the annu- to propulsion systems at the Łukasiewicz
lar chamber is shown in Fig.5. and numerically calculated – Institute of Aviation
structure of stable detonation is shown in Fig.6. In this case Research on the application of the CRD to propulsion
two detonation waves are propagating in the same direction, system is carried out at the Institute of Aviation for more
but generally many different conditions of waves propaga- than 10 years. During that time a few systems with CRD
tion in detonation chambers are observed. were developed, such as GTD-350 with detonation cham-
ber, special system of mixture preparation which guarantee
stable operation in annular/cylindrical chambers working
on liquid fuels, control of directions of rotating of detona-
tion wave in the annular chamber, development of disk and
con shaped detonation chambers working on liquid propel-
lants with regenerative cooling and designing and launching
of first in the world rocket powered by disk-shaped detona-
tion liquid rocket engine. We will briefly mention first two
systems, which are already described in the publications
[27, 42–43], but more details will be presented on the de-
Fig. 5. Pressure variations of stable detonation in the annular chamber [14] velopment of rocket and rocket-ramjet engine as well as
a very successful flight of experimental rocket powered by
disk-shaped liquid rocket engine utilizing CRD.
4.1. Research on applications of the CRD to the
air-breathing propulsion
During 2010–2015 development of gas turbine engine
with detonation combustion chamber was carried out at our
Institute under the project UDA-POIG.01.03.01-14-071
“Gas turbine with detonative combustion chamber” sup-
ported by EU and Ministry of Regional Development of
Fig. 6. Numerically calculated 3-D flowfield of the two waves stable Poland. During this project many problems were studied,
rotating detonation structure in annular detonation chamber [32] such as: mixture formation, development of proper geome-
try of detonation chamber, detonation initiation as well as
Stabilization of direction of rotating detonation wave the operation of this engine with detonation chamber. En-
was studied by Kawalec et al. [33], which show that direc- gine was tested on the following fuels: Jet-A, Jet-A with
tion of rotation could be controlled by small eccentricity additions of gaseous hydrogen and on gaseous hydrogen
synchronized with selected initiation place. only. It was found that engine operating on gaseous hydro-
CRD could be initiated also in different shape of the gen demonstrated increased thermal efficiency by 5–7%, as
chambers, such as presented by Bykovskii et al. – Fig. 7. compared to the based engine operating on conventional
[34], but also con-shaped and successfully tested by Kawa- fuel with the classical combustion chamber. Details of this
lec et al. [33]. There are also other geometries already test- research can be found in [27, 42, 43]. It must be also added
ed, such as cylindrical chamber with short insert and hollow that recent initiatives of the Airbus company to develop
aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel will also open a way for
the introduction of turbojet engine with detonative com-
bustion chamber, since it was already proved, much high-
er efficiency can be achieved with applications of the
turbojet engines utilizing CRD in engine’s combustion
chamber [44, 45].
Another research which was continued, after the above
project was completed, was focused on development of the
new system of preparation of liquid jet fuels for combustion
in annular detonation chamber. Development of such sys-
tem for air-breathing engines utilizing CRD will improving
engine efficiency and thus results in fuel saving. This re-
search concerns development of system which could allow
preparation of liquid fuel-air mixture which can support
stable CRD in annular chamber [24]. Schematic diagram of
such system is presented in Fig. 8a and typical recorded
Fig. 7. Geometries of detonation chambers tested by Bykovskii et al. a)
annular chamber, b) partially annular with inner cone, c) open space inner pressure signals of detonation in Fig. 8b.
disc, d) disc chamber, e) open space external disc [34]

COMBUSTION ENGINES, 2022, 191(4) 53

Applications of the continuously rotating detonation to combustion engines at the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation

a) Another research was directed in development of the

liquid propellant rocket engine which utilize CRD. As
a propellants liquid propane (C3H8) and liquid nitrous oxide
(N2O) were used. The tests were carried out in an engines
with an annular, a disc-shaped and a cone-shaped detona-
tion chambers. Pictures of the tested engines can be seen in
Fig. 10. The specific impulse obtained of the disk-shaped
engine was equal to 1600 m/s, about 80% of theoretical
value. For con-shaped engine with regenerative cooling, the
specific impulse increased to 2005 m/s.
b)
a)

b)

Fig. 8. Schematic diagram of the annular detonation chamber (a) and

recorded pressure of the CRD for Jat-A – air mixture (b) c)
4.2. Research on applications of the CRD to rocket
engines
For the last few years in the Institute research on appli-
cation of the CRD to rockets engines were initiated. Initia-
tion of those research came from US Air Force Research
Laboratory with granted the project related to development Fig. 10. Rocket RDE: with annular cylindrical detonation chamber (a),
of the methods of wave direction control in rocket engine. with disc-shaped detonation chamber (b) and with con-shaped detonation
The main goal of this research was to find effective way of chamber (c) [21]
control direction of wave rotation in detonation engine.
Tests were carried out for gaseous mixtures such as hydro- Also the first research on possibility of using combined
gen-air and methane-oxygen. A few different methods were cycle rotating detonation in rocket-ramjet engine was con-
tested to control direction of wave motion, but it was found ducted. For this case rocket engine was operating on fuel
that applying small eccentricity such control could be rich conditions. This allow afterburning of hot, not com-
achieved (see Fig. 9). pletely reacted products from the rocket engine, which was
burning with air passing through ramjets subsonic combus-
tion chamber and generate extra trust. It was shown that
such combined cycle Rocket-Ramjet can, in optimum oper-
ating condition exhibit 25% increase of efficiency as com-
pare to rocket itself operating in similar conditions. Picture
of the rocket-ramjet engine during test at the experimental
stand at our Institute is shown in Fig. 11.

Fig. 11. Test of the rocket-ramjet engine at the experimental test stand at
Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation [33]

4.3. Development of experimental rocket powered

by liquid fueled rocket engine utilizing CRD
Fig. 9. The example of an experiment with the use of the initiator close to Since the liquid rocket engines utilizing CRD were de-
the small eccentricity, a) schematic of the cross section of the annular veloped at our Institute, the next logical step was to apply
detonation chamber with colored points of located pressure transducers one of the engine to propel the experimental rocket. The
and indication of the position of the initiator, b) recorded pressure by the
three transducers, c, d) enlarged randomly selected pressure records. More
cone-shaped engine was chosen as the propulsion system
detailed description of this research can be found in [33] for the rocket. Before installing it on the rocket, special

54 COMBUSTION ENGINES, 2022, 191(4)

 Applications of the continuously rotating detonation to combustion engines at the Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation

validation tests were carried out in the laboratory. As it was Picture of the liftoff of the rocket is shown in Fig.12.
already mentioned, as propellants liquid Propane and liquid The rocket engine, according to the plan, worked for 3.2 s,
Nitrous Oxide were used. To ensure a few seconds work, accelerating the rocket to a speed of 93 m/s, which allowed
engine was design in such a way that both liquid compo- the rocket to reach an altitude of 450 m. It was the world's
nents were used for cooling engine’s walls. Engine was first first attempt to use a detonation engine powered by liquid
tested at the research stand in horizontal conditions, but propellants (liquid propane and liquid nitrous oxide) to
after completion of such tests engine was integrated with propel a rocket. It was also world's first detonation engine
the rocket and was also tested in vertical condition and with that achieved flight under its own power.
supply of both propellants from the rocket tanks. Both pro-
pellant tanks were pressurized before experiment by gase- 5. Conclusions
ous helium. This guaranteed nearly constant rate of feeding Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation is engaged in re-
of engine with both propellants. Only after such successful search on application of CRD for different propulsion sys-
static tests of the engine integrated with the rocket, the tem for more the 10 years. The most important achieve-
experiments was conducted at the military test range out- ments in this field are:
side Warsaw at WITU in Zielonka On September 15, 2021 1. Development of the detonation combustion chamber for
at 9:29 rocket was successfully launched and reached the GTD-350 engine, which working on gaseous hydrogen
altitude of 450 m. fuel shows improvements of engines efficiency by 5–
7% as compare to base engine supply by Jet-A fuel.
2. Development of effective mixture preparation system
which allow to achieve stable sustainable operation of
CRD in the annular detonation chamber for the Jet-A –
air mixture.
3. Development of effective way of control of detonation
wave rotation in the model of rocket engine combustion
chamber.
4. Development of the liquid propellant disc-shaped and
cone-shaped rocket engines with regenerative cooling
by liquid propellants.
5. Development the combine cycle rocket-ramjet engine
working on liquid propellants.
6. Development of the experimental rocket which utilized
RDE cooled by liquid propellants and perform its suc-
cessful flight test. It's the world's first detonation engine
that achieved flight under its own power.
Due to this activities and achievements Institute will be
more engaged in further development of this very promis-
ing research and hopefully will widen international cooper-
ation in this field.
Acknowledgments
Authors would like to thank Direction of the
Łukasiewicz – Institute of Aviation for the continuous sup-
port of the research of application of the CRD to propulsion
systems. Also authors thanks WITU in Zielonka for provid-
Fig.12. Launch of the experimental rocket power by liquid fueled RDE ing test range for rocket launch.
which utilize CRD at the military test range in WITU, Zielonka

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decarbonize-aviation-raises-green-hydrogen-challenges

Michał Kawalec, DEng. – Aircraft Propulsion Sys- Witold Perkowski, DEng. – Aircraft Propulsion
tem Department, Łukasiewicz Research Network – System Department, Łukasiewicz Research Network
Institute of Aviation. – Institute of Aviation.
e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]

Borys Łukasik, DEng. – Aircraft Propulsion System Adam Bilar, MEng – Aircraft Propulsion System
Department, Łukasiewicz Research Network – Department, Łukasiewicz Research Network –
Institute of Aviation. Institute of Aviation.
e-mail: [email protected] e-mail: [email protected]

Prof. Piotr Wolański, DSc., DEng. – Łukasiewicz

Research Network – Institute of Aviation.
e-mail: [email protected]

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