Numerical Investigation of the Non-Uniform Distribution of Outlet Parameters in a Radial Wave Rotor Combustor

Jize Liang, Erlei Gong (), Jianzhong Li, Qian Yao and Wu Jin
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Jize Liang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Erlei Gong: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Jianzhong Li: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Qian Yao: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Wu Jin: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-20

Abstract: The non-uniform distribution of outlet parameters in a Radial Wave Rotor Combustor (RWRC) significantly impacts downstream component performance. This study aims to investigate the spatial-temporal characteristics of temperature and pressure at the RWRC outlet. Three-dimensional unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations were coupled with a User-Defined Function (UDF) to efficiently model the combustion process. The Shear-Stress Transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model was employed. Quantitative metrics including Relative Standard Deviation (RSD) and Christiansen Uniformity Coefficient (CUC) were introduced to evaluate the non-uniformity. The results reveal significant temporal fluctuations and spatial non-uniformity in both temperature and pressure. At 3000 r/min, the average temperature fluctuation amplitude and uniformity coefficient are 0.38 and 0.9, respectively, while the pressure fluctuation amplitude reaches 0.44. Crucially, temperature distribution expands circumferentially with increasing speed, whereas pressure distribution remains locally concentrated and is less sensitive to speed variations. This study provides a quantitative assessment of outlet non-uniformity in RWRC, highlighting the distinct behaviors between temperature and pressure distributions. The findings offer critical insights for the design and optimization of wave rotors and their integration with downstream components.

Keywords: radial wave rotor combustor; outlet flow field; unsteady characteristics; uniformity; temperature distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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