← Back to NASA Technology Projects
Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 3)
In recent years, the idea of using rotating detonation engines (RDE) for space propulsion has garnered much attention. RDEs are atype of pressure-grain combustion whereas traditional are operated with constant pressure combustion. There is a greater amountof thermodynamic work that can be extracted from a pressure-gain system. Therefore, RDEs operate at a higher efficiency thantraditional systems. Extensive work has already been performed for gaseous-fed RDEs. However, liquid propellant fed systems stillrequire extensive experimental testing and analysis. There is a need to develop a highly resolved spatial and temporal diagnostic tostudy the liquid-shock interaction, vaporization, and combustion in RDEs. Research in this area satisfies the goals laid out in theTechnology Roadmap, section TA 1.2.4.Accurate knowledge of the evolution of a liquid propellant spray in a detonation environment is instrumental in developing liquid fedRDEs. This proposal seeks to measure the liquid-shock interaction of traditional liquid rocket propellants via MHz rate imaging andburst-mode lasers. Laser-based measurements have a massive advantage over traditional techniques because lasers are non-intrusiveto the flow field. The primary development in this work will be with 2-D Stokes-Raman scattering. This is similar to the prevalentand well-known Rayleigh scattering effect. However, Raman scattering is an inelastic phenomenon so there is a color shift in theresulting scattered light. The size of the shift differs depending on which molecule is being studied and can be subsequently isolated.High fidelity imaging of liquid oxygen, liquid methane, and RP-1 in detonation driven flow fields will be made during this study. Thisresearch is instrumental towards the development of functional liquid-fed RDEs for liquid rocket engine applications.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 2) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.
None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.