Performance analysis of a pulse detonation turbine engine based on unsteady finite-time model

Quasi-steady state and transient state performance analyses of a pulse detonation turbine engine (PDTE) are conducted based on an unsteady finite-time model. In quasi-steady state performance analysis, the transient compressor operation status over a detonation cycle time is studied. The thrust, specific fuel consumption, and the cycle thermal efficiency are compared under four different operation frequencies. The power extraction method is introduced to design a control strategy for the transient state performance analysis. Last, effect of flight conditions on the PDTE acceleration performance is investigated. The results show that the compressor will enter the surge condition during the pulse detonation combustor (PDC) exhaust period and strive back to the non-surge condition during the filling process due to the pressure changes in PDC. The increasing of the operation frequency will bring performance promotion, as the thrust and thermal efficiency will increase while the specific fuel consumption will go down. An optimal fuel supply law is obtained by utilizing the power extraction method, and it takes the PDTE 6.08s to accelerate from the corrected rotor speed of 0.6–1.0. The rising of flight altitude will dramatically prolong the acceleration process, while increasing of Ma will speed up the acceleration process.