Numerical Analysis of Combustion Dynamics in a Full-Scale Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine Using Large Eddy Simulations

Large eddy simulations (LESs) using detailed chemistry and leveraging adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) are performed to gain insights into the combustion dynamics within a full-scale methane–oxygen nonpremixed rotating detonation rocket engine (RDRE) employing impinging discrete injection schemes. In particular, a comparative analysis of two operating conditions corresponding to the same global equivalence ratio but different mass flowrates is carried out to investigate the resultant impact on detonation wave characteristics and RDRE global performance. Multiple co-rotating detonation waves with spatially distributed wave structure and preferential alignment with the inner wall of the annulus (due to asymmetry in fuel distribution) are encountered under both conditions. Both cases exhibit predetonation deflagrative burning in the fill region, while one of the cases shows higher susceptibility to backflow into the feed plenums due to lower plenum pressures. Heat release analysis shows that the thrust obtained from the RDRE is closely linked to the distribution of total heat release between detonative and deflagrative combustion. Conversely, combustion efficiency is associated with the fraction of heat release occurring in fuel-rich versus fuel-lean regions within the RDRE.