NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF VALVED PULSE JET ENGINE DESIGN PARAMETERS ON PERFORMANCE

Abstract

Pulse jet engine, also known as wave engine, pulse combustor, or pressure gain combustor is a class of unsteady, air-breathing propulsion systems that utilize an intermittent combustion process to produce thrust. The operation of the pulse jet engine follows a periodic pattern based on large amplitude longitudinal acoustic waves within a nearly constant volume. In general, pulse jet engines can be classified according to the method of controlling the inlet mass flow to the aero- valved, or valveless, and the valved pulse jets. The difference is the usage of mechanical valves in the valved ones that respond to the pressure difference across them to permit and prevent mass flow into the engine. While the main advantage of the pulse jet engine is the simplicity in its configuration and not using any moving parts, except the valves in the valved pulse jet, the complexity of physical processes shaping its performance introduces a major drawback. This type of engines was found, through this study and previous ones, to be affected by each single parameter, geometrical and operational,