About the project
Using a rotating detonation engine (RDE) as gas turbine combustion chamber could increase engine efficiency dramatically. This project will implement two-phase flow and spray combustion modelling into our in-house dynamically adaptive RDE code to quantify the potential of RDE-based jet engines by massively parallel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations.
We are the only UK researchers investigating RDEs and our parallel and dynamically adaptive in-house software AMROC is among the most capable solvers for detonation simulation worldwide. While AMROC provides a viscous detonation solver with detailed non-equilibrium chemical kinetics in the gas phase, it currently cannot simulate the combustion of liquid fuels. In this project, we will therefore incorporate dilute spray combustion into AMROC.
Lagrangian tracking of dispersed droplets, evaporation models and reduced chemical kinetic mechanisms for hydro-carbons combustion will be added and tested, enhanced breakup modelling will be added later. After comprehensive verification and validation, the new spray combustion capability will be used in two- and three-dimensional simulations of RDEs running on liquid hydrocarbon fuels of increasing chemical complexity. Ultimately, prototype RDE combustion chamber simulations informed by operating conditions of realistic Rolls Royce jet engines running on kerosene-air will be simulated and the potential of pressure-gain combustion quantified.
The School of Engineering is committed to promoting equality, diversity inclusivity as demonstrated by our Athena SWAN award. We welcome all applicants regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or age, and will give full consideration to applicants seeking flexible working patterns and those who have taken a career break. The University has a generous maternity policy, onsite childcare facilities, and offers a range of benefits to help ensure employees’ well-being and work-life balance. The University of Southampton is committed to sustainability and has been awarded the Platinum EcoAward.
