Numerical Simulation of Detonation Combustion of Kerosene Vapors in an Expanding Nozzle

Abstract The initiation and stabilization of detonation combustion of kerosene vapor in a supersonic air flow entering an expanding axisymmetric nozzle with a coaxial central body is numerically studied. Calculations are based on a reduced kinetic model of combustion, which includes 68 reactions for 44 components. Enthalpy and entropy of components are determined using approximating polynomials from the NASA database. A hydrodynamic model is based on two-dimensional unsteady Euler equations for an axisymmetric flow of a multicomponent reacting gas. Calculations are performed using the Godunov finite-difference scheme and its $$\beta$$ β -modification of improved accuracy on smooth solutions. The flow parameters that ensure the steady detonation combustion of kerosene vapor in the nozzle under consideration are determined. The detonation combustion of kerosene has higher thrust than hydrogen combustion, but is noticeably inferior with regard to specific thrust. The calculations are performed on the “Lomonosov" supercomputer at the Lomonosov Moscow State University.