Importance

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Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method of operating a propulsion system at an approximately constant detonation cell quantity in the combustion chamber of a detonation combustion system. The propulsion system defines an inlet section upstream of the rotating detonation combustion system and an exhaust section downstream of the rotating detonation combustion system. The method includes providing an outer wall and an inner wall together defining an annular gap and a combustion chamber length extended from a combustion chamber inlet proximate to the fuel-oxidizer mixing nozzle to a combustion chamber exit proximate to the exhaust section of the propulsion system, the annular gap and the combustion chamber length together defining a first volume at a first operating condition defining a lowest steady state pressure and temperature at the rotating detonation combustion system; providing a mixture of a fuel and an oxidizer to the combustion chamber via the fuel-oxidizer mixing nozzle; detonating the fuel and oxidizer mixture in the combustion chamber, wherein the detonation produces a detonation cell size; and adjusting the volume of the combustion chamber via articulating one or more of the outer wall, the inner wall, and the fuel-oxidizer mixing nozzle such that one or more of the annular gap and the combustion chamber length is changed based on one or more operating conditions.

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First Claim