Performance and Exergy analysis of TurboJet and TurboFan configurations with Rotating Detonation Combustor

Conventional gas turbine is reaching its saturation level and further improvement in the cycle efficiency is possible through redesigning the cycle. One of the effective methods is to introduce a Pressure Gain Combustor (PGC) in place of the conventional deflagration combustor as PGC contributes to a considerable gain in thermal efficiency. Pulsed Detonation Combustor (PDC) and Rotating Detonation Combustor (RDC) are the two most prevalent combustor designs for pressure gain combustion. The major challenges of integrating PGCs to existing conventional cycles are the highly unsteady exhaust flow from PGC, high exhaust temperatures from PGC, potential back flow from combustor to compressor. As turbines are designed for much steadier flows, this unsteady exhaust flow and high temperature exhaust gas from PGC is challenging for the turbine of the cycle and its design. One of the solutions is to have an ejector between the PGC and turbine in order to reduce the flow fluctuations, flow velocity and flow temperature. In this work, different cycle layouts of Turbojet and Turbofan engines working with RDC are described. Low order RDC and ejector models are used in this paper. As the ejector is being used, the compressed air from the compressor is split for RDC, ejector, turbine blade cooling. The different cases for the compressed air split are also examined. The performance parameters of the engines are evaluated for different compressor pressure ratios, fan pressure ratios, bypass ratios. Finally, an exergy analysis is performed on all components. © 2024 The Author(s)