Rotating Detonation Rocket Engines

Rotating detonation rocket engines, or RDREs, use detonation waves to improve the thermodynamic efficiency of rocket engines by up to 25%. The FX Lab uses high-fidelity simulations to study these devices, recently focusing on the dynamics of secondary counter-propagating waves and the interaction of the detonation waves with the fuel injection systems. These insights inform the design of future RDREs and bring them closer to widespread use.