Continuous spin detonation of the kerosene–air mixture in a flow-type radial vortex combustor 500 mm in diameter

Regimes of detonation burning of TS-1 aviation kerosene in an air flow in a flow-type radial vortex combustor 500 mm in diameter with exhaustion toward the center are obtained. The parameters varied in experiments are the diameter of the combustor exit cross section (from 250 to 125 mm) and the shape of one of the combustor walls. The air flow rate in detonation burning regimes is 5.23–23.85 kg/s, and the kerosene flow rate is 0.49–1.2 kg/s. The fuel-to-air equivalence ratio is varied in the interval 0.58–2.24. Kerosene is bubbled with air before its injection into the combustor. Pulsed detonation with radial waves and continuous spin detonation with one rotating detonation wave with a velocity close to the Chapman–Jouguet detonation velocity are observed. The structure of detonation waves and the flow in their vicinity display no principal differences from those observed previously in a plane-radial combustor with a smaller diameter (204 mm). A strong effect of detonation waves in the combustor on the air and kerosene injection systems is detected. Centrifugal forces acting on the mixture flow and detonation products are enhanced as the combustor exit diameter decreases (as the combustor length increases). For identical specific flow rates of kerosene–air mixtures, the pressure near the cylindrical surface of the combustor in idle runs is found to be higher than that in the case of detonation.