Hydrocarbon fuel flash vaporization for pulsed detonation combustion

Practical operation of pulsed detonation propulsion requires operation on kerosene-based jet fuels. These low vapor pressure fuels remain in liquid form at typical pulsed detonation inlet conditions and residence times, and the subsequent presence of fuel droplets significantly slows the combustion and hinders engine operability. A fuel flash vaporization system was designed and built to reduce evaporation time and provide gaseous fuel to the pulsed detonation engine. Four fuels that vary in volatility were tested: n-heptane, isooctane, aviation gasoline, and JP-8. Results showed the flash vaporization system quickly provides a detonable mixture for all of the fuels tested without coking the fuel lines. A significant result of this work was the successful detonation of flash vaporized JP-8 in air over a range of fuel temperatures and fuel-to-air ratios.