Pulse detonation combustion has been of interest for many years since it offers several advantages over standard deflagrative combustion. In theory, detonative combustion is a better use of fuel compared to deflagrative combustion since less entropy is generated during a detonation. As a result, detonation offers higher pressure and temperature gain across the wave front compared to the comparable deflagration. Since a detonation is a supersonic event which uses a shock to compress and dissociate reactants, a Pulse Detonation Combustor (PDC) is a relatively simple device that does not necessarily require a large compressor section at the inlet. Despite these benefits, using a turbine to extract work from a PDC is a problem littered with technical challenges. A PDC necessarily operates cyclically, producing highly transient pressure and temperature fields. This cyclic operation presents concerns with regards to turbine reliability and effective work extraction. The research presented here investigated the implementation of a pulse detonation diffuser, a device intended to temporally and spatially distribute the energy produced during a detonation pulse. This device would be an inert extension from a baseline PDC, manipulating the decaying detonation front while minimizing entropy production. A diffuser will seek to elongate, steady, attenuate, and maintain the quality of energy contained in the exhaust of a detonation pulse. These functions intend to reduce stresses introduced to a turbine and aid in effective work extraction. The goal of this research was to design, implement, and evaluate such a diffuser using the using conventional analysis and simulated and physical experimentation. Diffuser concepts using various wave dynamic mechanisms were generated. Analytical models were developed to estimate basic timing and wave attenuation parameters for a given design. These models served to inform the detail design process, providing an idea for geometric scale for a diffuser. Designs were simulated in ANSYS Fluent. The simulated performance of each diffuser was measured using metrics quantifying the wave attenuation, pulse elongation, pulse steadying, and entropy generation for each design. The most promising diffuser was fabricated and tested using a detonation tube. Diffuser performance was compared against analytical and computational models using dynamic pressure transducer diagnostics. / Master of Science

Coal is likely to remain an important energy source for the next several hundred years and hence advances in coal combustion technologies have major practical impact. Detonation combustion of coal initiated by a plasma cartridge driven detonation wave holds promise for improving both system and combustion efficiencies. Both fragmentation and chemical kinetic pathways are qualitatively different in comparison to conventional coal combustion. The present work is a theoretical investigation of fragmentation due to detonation wave. The theoretical simulation starts with simple model and progressively incorporates more realistic analysis such as combined convective and radiative boundary condition. It studies the passing of detonation wave on coal particles suspended in air. Concepts of solid mechanics are used in analysing fragmentation of coal particles. A numerical model is developed which includes stress developed due to both thermal and volatilization effects. Weibull statistical analysis is used to predict the fracture time and fracture location resulting from principal stress induced. It is observed that coal particles fragment within microseconds. Radiation does not have much effect on developed stress. Volatilization does not have much effect on fragmentation for the particle size considered in this work and stress due to thermal effect dominated the fragmentation. Coal size distribution statistics is considered to obtain real regime. Coal is used as mixture of different sized particles in real combustors. Hence it is important to analyse the effect of detonation wave on mixture of coal particles. Results presented in this work from simulation run suggest that plasma assisted detonation initiated technology can fragment coal particles faster. Average fracture time of mixture of coal particles is far less than detonation travel time for the detonation tube considered here. Simulation results suggest that almost 90% of coal particles fragment early. Average fracture time reduces as Mach number increases. Same phenomena can be observed for volatile matter generated at fracture and ow of volatile matter at fracture. Hence it can be concluded that plasma assisted detonation combustion leads to different volatilization and fragmentation pathways.

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This master thesis deals with ignition systems which are used in cars vehicles with gas engines and also with setting of the best moment of ignition of gasoline-air mixture in cylinders of engine. Ways of gas injection at diesel engines and their control systems are also described in this thesis. Next chapter deals with control unit and describes main actions which are necessary for today’s motor vehicles. As illustration is used example of succession of actions which are necessary for calculation and setting regular value of pre-ignition. At the end is shown animation, which can be used for practice lessons in a subject Automobile Electric and Electronic Systems as a example. It will simplify understanding of described activities which are all accomplished by central control unit. For purposes of laboratory lessons is in this thesis also discussed measuring of engine performance with changes of parameter of central control unit.