Acoustic characteristics of pulse detonation engine with ellipsoidal reflector

Acoustic characteristics of a pulse detonation engine (PDE) with and without an ellipsoidal reflector are numerically and experimentally investigated. A two-dimensional (2D) non-splitting unstructured triangular mesh Euler solver based on the space-time conservation element and solution element (CE/SE) method is employed to simulate the flow field of a PDE. The numerical results clearly demonstrate the external flow field of the PDE. The effect of an ellipsoidal reflector on the flow field characteristic near the PDE exit is investigated. The formation process of reflected shock wave and reflected jet shock are reported in detail. An acoustic measurement system is established for the PDE acoustic testing. The experimental results show that the ellipsoidal reflector changes the sound waveform and directivity of PDE sound. The reflected shock wave and reflected jet shock result in two more positive pressure peaks in the sound waveform. The ellipsoidal reflector changes the directivity of PDE sound from 20° to 0°. It is found that the peak sound pressure level (PSPL) and overall sound pressure level (OASPL) each obtain an increment when the PDE is installed with a reflector. The maximum relative increase ratio of PSPL and OASPL are obtained at the focus point F₂, whose values are 6.1% and 6.84% respectively. The results of the duration of the PDE sound indicate that the reflecting and focusing wave generated by the reflector result in the increment of A duration and B duration before and near focus point F₂. Results show that the ellipsoidal reflector has a great influence on the acoustic characteristic of PDE sound. The research is helpful for understanding the influence of an ellipsoidal reflector on the formation and propagation process of PDE sound.