Rotating Detonation Engine

Pressure-gain propulsion using rotating detonation waves — experiments and simulations for next-generation aerospace.

RDE still frame
RDE rotating detonation animation

Overview

Rotating Detonation Engines (RDEs) are pressure-gain propulsion systems that sustain a continuous detonation wave traveling azimuthally in an annular combustor. By leveraging detonation rather than deflagration, RDEs can improve thermodynamic efficiency over conventional combustors.

We investigate wave stability, injection strategies, and wall interactions through hydrogen-oxygen experiments, high-speed diagnostics, and custom CFD development, aligned with our lab’s broader research goals.

RDE Pressure-gain H₂/O₂
Publications