Tomographic Imaging of Rotating Detonations in a Hollow Combustor

View Video Presentation: https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2021-3653.vid Rotating detonation combustors (RDCs) show much promise in implementing pressure gain combustion for their proposed utilization in propulsion and power generation. Experiments involving flow-through and hollow RDC configurations, using ethylene-air and hydrogen-air mixtures were conducted. A range of equivalence ratios were tested through multiple air mass flow rates, using two air injection areas that are created through a variation in the combustor air gap. Two high-speed cameras were positioned 90 degrees apart to monitor the RDC during operation using broadband luminescence. A tomographic reconstruction of the detonation wave can be achieved through using software specializing in reproducible volumetric visualization. Results observe successful reconstructions of detonation waves, allowing for a greater understanding of the wave structure.