Transition Between Different Initiation Structures of Wedge-Induced Oblique Detonations

Oblique detonation waves (ODWs) have been widely studied due to their application potential for airbreathing hypersonic propulsion. Moreover, various formation structures of wedge-induced oblique detonation waves have been revealed in recent numerical investigations. Given the inflow conditions, the wave configuration is dependent on the wedge angle. Hence, any wedge-angle change will induce a transient ODW evolution to transition from one configuration to another. In this study, the transient development created by instantaneously changing the wedge angle is investigated numerically, based on the unsteady two-dimensional Euler equations and one-step irreversible Arrhenius chemical kinetics. The evolution caused by the abrupt wedge-angle change from one smooth initiation structure to another, both with a curved oblique shock/detonation surface at high-Mach-number regime, is investigated. Two processes are analyzed; the first consists of the downstream transition of the ODW initiation region the by decreasing the angle, and the second is the upstream transition by increasing the angle. In the downstream transition, the overall structure moves globally and readjusts continuously, generating an intermediate kinklike initiation structure. In the upstream transition, a localized reaction region forms and induces a more complex process, mainly derived from the different responding speeds of the oblique shock and detonation waves. To avoid the generation of the new localized explosion region, which causes an abrupt change in the initiation position and potentially affects the ODWE's stability and performance, it is suggested to vary the wedge angle in incremental steps within a certain time interval.