Wave combustors for trans-atmospheric vehicles

The wave combustor is an air-breathing hypersonic propulsion system which utilizes shock and detonation waves to enhance fuel-air mixing and combustion in supersonic flow. An oblique shock wave in the combustor can act as a flameholder by increasing the pressure and temperature of the air-fuel mixture and thereby decreasing the ignition delay. This engine, which is called the oblique detonation wave engine (ODWE), can then be utilized to provide a smaller, lighter vehicle or to provide a higher payload capability for a given vehicle weight. An analysis of the performance of a conceptual trans-atmospheric vehicle (TAV) powered by an ODWE is given here.