A Brayton cycle engine including an inner wall assembly defining a detonation combustion region upstream thereof extended from a longitudinal wall into a gas flowpath. An actuator adjusts a depth of the detonation combustion region into the gas flowpath. A method for operating the engine includes flowing an oxidizer through the gas flowpath; capturing a portion of the flow of oxidizer via the inner wall; flowing a first flow of fuel to the captured flow of oxidizer; producing a rotating detonation gases via a mixture of the first flow of fuel and the captured flow of oxidizer; flowing at least a portion of the detonation gases downstream to mix with the flow of oxidizer; flowing a second flow of fuel to the mixture of detonation gases and oxidizer; and burning the mixture of the second flow of fuel and the detonation gases/oxidizer mixture.

A Brayton cycle engine including a longitudinal wall extended along a lengthwise direction. The longitudinal wall defines a gas flowpath of the engine. A strut is extended through the gas flowpath between the longitudinal walls. An inner wall assembly is extended from the longitudinal wall and the strut into the gas flowpath. The inner wall assembly and strut together define a plurality of detonation combustion regions in the gas flowpath upstream of the inner wall assembly.

A Brayton cycle engine including a longitudinal wall extended along a lengthwise direction. The longitudinal wall defines a gas flowpath of the engine. A strut is extended through the gas flowpath between the longitudinal walls. An inner wall assembly is extended from the longitudinal wall and the strut into the gas flowpath. The inner wall assembly and strut together define a plurality of detonation combustion regions in the gas flowpath upstream of the inner wall assembly.

A Brayton cycle engine including a longitudinal wall extended along a lengthwise direction. The longitudinal wall defines a gas flowpath of the engine. An inner wall assembly is extended from the longitudinal wall into the gas flowpath. The inner wall assembly defines a detonation combustion region in the gas flowpath upstream of the inner wall assembly.

A Brayton cycle engine including a longitudinal wall extended along a lengthwise direction. The longitudinal wall defines a gas flowpath of the engine. An inner wall assembly is extended from the longitudinal wall into the gas flowpath. The inner wall assembly defines a detonation combustion region in the gas flowpath upstream of the inner wall assembly.

A Brayton cycle engine and method for operation. The engine includes an inner wall assembly and an upstream wall assembly each extended from a longitudinal wall into a gas flowpath. An actuator adjusts a depth of the detonation combustion region into the gas flowpath between the inner wall assembly and the upstream wall assembly. The engine flows an oxidizer through the gas flowpath and the inner wall captures a portion of the oxidizer. The engine further adjusts the captured flow of oxidizer via the upstream wall and flows a first flow of fuel to the captured flow of oxidizer to produce rotating detonation gases. The engine flows the detonation gases downstream and to mix with the flow of oxidizer, and flows and burns a second flow of fuel to the detonation gases/oxidizer mixture to produce thrust.

A Brayton cycle engine and method for operation. The engine includes an inner wall assembly and an upstream wall assembly each extended from a longitudinal wall into a gas flowpath. An actuator adjusts a depth of the detonation combustion region into the gas flowpath between the inner wall assembly and the upstream wall assembly. The engine flows an oxidizer through the gas flowpath and the inner wall captures a portion of the oxidizer. The engine further adjusts the captured flow of oxidizer via the upstream wall and flows a first flow of fuel to the captured flow of oxidizer to produce rotating detonation gases. The engine flows the detonation gases downstream and to mix with the flow of oxidizer, and flows and burns a second flow of fuel to the detonation gases/oxidizer mixture to produce thrust.

A hypersonic vehicle includes a body; a first engine secured to the body, the first engine is configured to create forward thrust at a first flight regime; a second engine secured to the body, the second engine is configured to create forward thrust at a second flight regime; and the hypersonic vehicle transitions between the first engine and the second engine during the first flight regime and the second flight regime.

A hypersonic vehicle includes a body; a first engine secured to the body, the first engine is configured to create forward thrust at a first flight regime; a second engine secured to the body, the second engine is configured to create forward thrust at a second flight regime; and the hypersonic vehicle transitions between the first engine and the second engine during the first flight regime and the second flight regime.

A flight vehicle engine includes an isolator with a swept-back wedge to improve flow mixing. The wedge includes forward shock-anchoring locations, such as edges or rapidly-curved portions, that anchor oblique shocks in situations where the isolator has sufficient back pressure. The swept-back wedge may also create swept oblique shocks along its length. Boundary layer flow streamlines are diverted running parallel to or parallel but moving outward conically to the swept-wedge leading edge moving outboard and upward. The non-viscous flow outside the boundary layer is processed through the swept-back ramp shock and diverted outboard and upward as well. The outboard aft portion of the wedge at the sidewall intersection may also induce shocks and divert flow near the walls closer toward the walls and upward, and/or improve flow mixing.