Rostec foresees pulse detonation engine benefits

Rostec announced on 9 April that the A Lyulki Design Bureau in its United Engine Corporation (UEC) subsidiary has completed initial tests of a pulse detonation engine demonstrator.

UEC eyes potential future applications for this type of engine in supersonic and hypersonic aircraft.

Pulse detonation engines use supersonic detonation waves as a combustion mechanism. One major advantage of this method (noted by NASA) is that pulse detonation engines do not require an expensive turbopump to boost the fuel and oxidiser to extremely high pressure.

Rostec claimed its pulse detonation engine has a more efficient thermodynamic cycle than currently operated gas turbine engines. It added that initial tests of the demonstrator powerplant showed an increase of up to 50% in specific thrust compared to conventional engines.

‘This will prospectively increase the maximum range and payload mass of aircraft by 1.3-1.5 times,’ Rostec noted.

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