Innovative Design Solutions Enabling Refractory Materials for Detonation Engines

Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines (RDREs) are of interest in aerospace and defense applications because they rely on detonation, as opposed to deflagration. In detonation, or pressure gain combustion, the flame is supersonic, and heat is released through a pressure gain and release cycle that is characteristically time varying in both temperature and pressure. An often unappreciated system benefit arises from how compact the hot flow-path can become due to the localization of combustion and its relative robustness for a range of inlet conditions. This compressed flowpath becomes a SWAP benefit that can be taken advantage of in several ways, such as increased space for fuel to enhance system range. This proposal addresses the design, analysis, and fabrication demonstration of innovative design solutions enabling non-eroding refractory materials for detonation engines, which is considered a step towards developing a reusable high heat flux rotating detonation rocket engine. This technology will offer significantly higher maximum use temperature and improved thermal-chemical resistance when compared to the current copper-based materials. This advanced concept will be demonstrated during the Phase I work plan by completing tasks related to: define design requirements; selection of materials and property database development; design and analysis; fabrication of simple demonstration hardware; and reporting and deliverables. The importance of this proposed effort is offering more robust RDRE components that allow for longer lifetimes, less testing down time, and more aggressive testing conditions. Furthermore, relative to the current state-of-the-art, the concepts determined in this effort will offer a non-eroding hot-walled materials solution that will not require any active cooling; thereby, eliminating the complexity and additional weight penalties associated with the use of ancillary pumps, manifolds, and tubing needed to provide the cooling fluid.

As noted in Topic T1.15, “Alternative Design Approaches for High Heat Flux Detonation Engines (STTR),” NASA is seeking uncooled rocket engine approaches using high melting temperature materials and considers investments towards this work as highly relevant to fundamental design, fabrication, and optimization of high heat flux and high-frequency cyclic combustion devices. This technology proposed in this program will support NASA mission directives by directly addressing the development of reusable high heat flux detonation engines by determining innovative design solutions to enable the use of refractory materials. The technology and design tools developed in this effort can be translated to other commercial and government applications to expand the market for innovative design solutions enabling refractory materials for detonation engines. There are various applications faced with similar design issues and some of these include control surfaces, rocket motors, leading edges, hypersonic airframes, nosetips, and components for ramjet engines. The results of this study will additionally have broad ranging applications in civil aerospace, governmental aerospace companies, as well as aircraft jet engine manufactures, and power generation equipment manufacturing companies. Potential customers include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Electric, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, MDA, Army, Navy, Air Force, DARPA, USSOCOM, and DOE.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — 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.

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