A rotating detonation combustion (RDC) system including a detonation chamber wall extended along a longitudinal direction. The detonation chamber wall defines a detonation chamber radially in between the detonation chamber walls. The RDC system further includes a fuel-oxidizer nozzle defining a first convergent-divergent nozzle disposed upstream of the detonation chamber, and a gas nozzle defining a second convergent-divergent nozzle extended through the detonation chamber wall at least partially along the longitudinal direction. The gas nozzle provides a flow of gas into the detonation chamber at least partially co-directional to the detonation chamber wall.

An aircraft power plant, has: a combustion engine having an outlet outputting combustion gases; a turbine downstream of the combustion engine; a detonation combustion tube fluidly connecting the combustion engine to the turbine; a member having an open position in which the outlet of the combustion engine is fluidly connected to the turbine and a closed position in which the combustion engine is fluidly disconnected from the turbine; a fuel injector fluidly connected to the detonation combustion tube; an igniter operatively connected to the detonation combustion tube; and a controller operatively connected to the fuel injector and to the igniter, the controller configured to, in response to receiving of a command: inject fuel into the detonation combustion tube via the fuel injector, and once the member is in the closed position, power the igniter to ignite a mixture of the combustion gases and the fuel into the detonation combustion tube.

A flow-management system may comprise a center body impermeable to air. A conical surface of the center body may face forward. A blocking surface of the center body may be coaxial with the conical surface and may comprise an annular recess. An annular ring may be aft of the center body and fluidly coupled with the blocking surface. A tube may encase the center body and annular ring. The annular ring may comprise an air-foil shape to direct a pulse to the blocking surface. The blocking surface may comprise a central peak and a circular ridge separated by the annular recess.

A flow-management system may comprise a center body impermeable to air. A conical surface of the center body may face forward. A blocking surface of the center body may be coaxial with the conical surface and may comprise an annular recess. An annular ring may be aft of the center body and fluidly coupled with the blocking surface. A tube may encase the center body and annular ring. The annular ring may comprise an air-foil shape to direct a pulse to the blocking surface. The blocking surface may comprise a central peak and a circular ridge separated by the annular recess.

The present disclosure is directed to a rotating detonation combustion system for a propulsion system including a plurality of combustors in adjacent arrangement along the circumferential direction. Each combustor defines a combustor centerline extended through each combustor, and each combustor comprises an outer wall defining a combustion chamber and a combustion inlet. Each combustion chamber is defined by an annular gap and a combustion chamber length together defining a volume of each combustion chamber. Each combustor defines a plurality of nozzle assemblies each disposed at the combustion inlet in adjacent arrangement around each combustor centerline. Each nozzle assembly defines a nozzle wall extended along a lengthwise direction, a nozzle inlet, a nozzle outlet, and a throat therebetween, and each nozzle assembly defines a converging-diverging nozzle. A first array of combustors defines a first volume and a second array of combustors defines a second volume different from the first volume.

A flow-management system may comprise a center body impermeable to air. A conical surface of the center body may face forward. A blocking surface of the center body may be coaxial with the conical surface and may comprise an annular recess. An annular ring may be aft of the center body and fluidly coupled with the blocking surface. A tube may encase the center body and annular ring. The annular ring may comprise an air-foil shape to direct a pulse to the blocking surface. The blocking surface may comprise a central peak and a circular ridge separated by the annular recess.

A flow-management system may comprise a center body impermeable to air. A conical surface of the center body may face forward. A blocking surface of the center body may be coaxial with the conical surface and may comprise an annular recess. An annular ring may be aft of the center body and fluidly coupled with the blocking surface. A tube may encase the center body and annular ring. The annular ring may comprise an air-foil shape to direct a pulse to the blocking surface. The blocking surface may comprise a central peak and a circular ridge separated by the annular recess.

The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus for compressing gas, comprising providing elliptically-shaped combustion chambers including a first chamber having a first inlet and a first outlet, and a last chamber having a last inlet and a last outlet. The first inlet is in communication with a low pressure plenum, the first outlet is in communication with the last inlet, and the last outlet is in communication with a high pressure plenum to define a flow pathway. A volume of gas is introduced into the first chamber at a first pressure. A fuel is injected into the first chamber at the first focus and is ignited to advance the volume of gas along the flow pathway to the last combustion chamber. A fuel is injected into the last chamber at the first focus and is ignited to further advance the volume of gas along the flow pathway.

A hybrid propulsion system includes a wave rotor combustion engine operating in parallel with an electrical motor-generator element. The motor-generator element is coupled to the turbine shaft to selectively drive or be driven by the turbine shaft. In one mode of operation, the motor of the motor generator element is powered by a battery to provide rotational energy to the turbine shaft. In another mode of operation, the wave rotor combustion engine drives the generator to recharge the battery. The wave rotor combustion engine may be further directly coupled to auxiliary components without a gearbox to drive the components at substantially the same speed as the turbine shaft. The turbine rotor of the combustion engine includes a plurality of chambers defined by circumferentially spaced curved vanes that improves specific fuel consumption for the engine.

A hybrid propulsion system includes a wave rotor combustion engine operating in parallel with an electrical motor-generator element. The motor-generator element is coupled to the turbine shaft to selectively drive or be driven by the turbine shaft. In one mode of operation, the motor of the motor generator element is powered by a battery to provide rotational energy to the turbine shaft. In another mode of operation, the wave rotor combustion engine drives the generator to recharge the battery. The wave rotor combustion engine may be further directly coupled to auxiliary components without a gearbox to drive the components at substantially the same speed as the turbine shaft. The turbine rotor of the combustion engine includes a plurality of chambers defined by circumferentially spaced curved vanes that improves specific fuel consumption for the engine.